Unexpected
by ex zombie
Summary: When Merle Dixon joins up with the prison group emotions run wild, but no one is affected more than young Beth. Lets explore the unexpected, as Beth succumbs to the ol' Dixon charm. Multi chapter. Rating will definately change.
1. Chapter 1

_Yes, started another one. Could be a one shot...could continue...let me know. I know for some Merle and Beth seem like an unlikely combo, but to me...seems like a logical choice. I'm gonna try and refrence some of this in my other two "stories" so check there if ya wanna see some more. Thanks...and please...if ya like it...or want it to continue...REVIEW._

**Unexpected**

It was the first time she felt something for him other than fear. They were in the cellblock, and Judith was crying mercilessly. She had fed her not too long ago, and burped her and changed her, but the girl just wouldn't stop wailing.

She was still only a couple of months old and her wails were high pitched and nonstop, with the irritating constant rhythm of a car alarm. She usually relied on Carol to help her during times like this, but with Rick, Carl and Michone, on a run, they were shorthanded. Carol was probably out on watch.

"Christ sake girl," he said as he walked out of his cell, and leaned up against the wall. "Can't ya get that thing ta stop crying?" It had been at least five minutes, and that little thing was starting to become more of a danger than a nuisance.

Beth was scared. She didn't know much about Merle Dixon, but she'd had a good look at Glenn when he'd gotten back from Woodberry. That, and the tales she'd heard from the group, where nearly enough to send her blood running cold, whenever he came near.

"I'm…I'm sorry," she stammered out, rocking the now nearly hysterical Judith from side to side, "I'm trying, I just…usually I."

His steal blue eyes narrowed as they fixed on hers, and she noticed that as he pushed off the wall and approached her he had one hand fiddling with the straps of the apparatus on his arm. She turned her back quickly, rocking the baby from side to side, but not before she saw him pull at the thing, and heard a loud thunk on the table.

"Give her here." He said as he approached. Not that he wanted to go anywhere near that thing, but her screaming was gonna draw every walker for miles closer in. "Come on girl," he repeated, "give her here."

Beth turned to face him, her clear blue eyes wide with fear, not knowing where to look. She didn't want to look at his face, his eyes were just…too damn mean, and they stared right into hers. And now he had that…thing off, and his arm, though it was neatly wrapped, she didn't know where to look. "I…." she started "I can usually…."

"Yeah, well ya can't now, so give her here…" he nodded his head and motioned with his good hand, "come on girl…"

"But…" she stared, backing away slowly.

"But I only got one hand, an' I'm meaner an hell, an whatever else ya can be thinking girl, give me the damn kid 'fore I take her from ya…" he got right up to her and extended his good arm, while keeping the other bent near his middle.

Without knowing what to do, without any other option, Beth gave one quick look around the block, in hopes of finding someone, anyone that could intervene, before reaching out with trembling hands to hand the wailing infant over.

"Now lay her here, girl," he instructed with a nod of his head and a pat on his arm. "Come on, aint got all day, thing's about ready ta pop my brain. Lay her right across, head towards my elbow, go on, face down… there ya go." He instructed as Beth tremulously placed the screaming baby across his maimed arm, belly down, face resting near the inside of his bent elbow.

He hadn't held a kid like this since it'd been his brother. Sure he'd held other's…time and again he'd been with women who'd been saddled with one or two of these things. But a new kid, like this one, just a teeny little thing…it had been years. It had been Daryl, impossibly small, and squirming like a little bug, in his arms as he'd struggled to hold him.

"Is she…." Beth asked, hovering her hands over the child's back protectively. She didn't know if this brute of a man had ever even seen a baby before this one, much less held one. And that strange calm look he always wore…it made her nervous.

"She aint gonna fall." He rasped out with a chuckle, as he placed his large hand over her back, and started patting it slowly. "Only thing she might do is quit this wailing, damn girls got a set of lungs on 'er."

Merle turned his broad back to her and careful adjusted Judith, he fiddled with her little kicking legs, and adjusted her head off to the side before he started a slow rhythm of pats on her tiny back. "Ya, aint got to stare at me like that," he called out softly over his shoulder, as he began pacing, "aint gonna kill her ya know…" his voice became lower and lower and her wails very quickly dissolved into disgruntled whimpers, as he paced across the room.

"Hell girl," he whispered rhythmically to the bundle in his arms, "ya can't be sreamin' like that no more… no ya cant." The whimpers started quieting even more as he continued, "ya, gonna get us killed little thing…can't do that now….aint gonna be anyone left here ta take care of ya…"

To Beth's surprise, when he turned his broad back to face her, Judith was lying perfectly still, a little leg and arm, hanging over each side of his arm, her face smushed into the crook of his arm, his large hand still patting her back.

"Sometimes…" he started, with a shrug, "all these things need is a change of …."

His sentence was cut off by Carol's hurried footsteps, and worried call, "Beth…? Beth… is Judith…"

"Hush, woman." Merle called out to Carol, as she slowed to a stunned skid upon entering the block. "I damn near got this thing ta sleep, an yer rushin' in here screamin'….Christ sake!" he finished angrily.

Carol's rifle slid off her arm, as her eyes locked for a moment with Merle's. What the hell was this really Merle Dixon? If it wasn't shocking enough that he had actually said two words to Beth, she was positively stunned to find him holding Judith.

She'd never even seen him without his arm guard off, couldn't imagine him in any way other than a ruthless killer, let alone with a baby pressed up against the crook of his ram, cradled up against his chest. She chuckled to herself as she gave a knowing glance to that hold he had her in. Only people with a colicky baby knew that bizarre hold. Had Daryl been that way she wondered.

In his arms Judith squirmed, and started whimpering, "You hush too," he whispered patting her again, "we aint gonna start that shit again, or I'll put ya down…yeah…" he continued, pacing up and down, "aint gonna like that, are ya…"

Carol, raised an eyebrow, and locked eyes with Beth. The girl was caught, silent and wide eyed like a dear in the headlights. "I just couldn't get her to settle." She said with a shrug.

"Yep," Merle rasped with a laugh, "then ol' Merle came in an saved the day huh?" he said more to the baby in his arms then the surprised women, staring at him. "Aint that right darlin'" he asked feeling positively smug. .

"Yeah…" Beth stammered, "He just took her and she calmed right down."

"Well I was talkin' to the kid darlin'" he said looking up at Beth with a small wry smile and a wink, "but if you'd rather I call _you_ that it can be arranged."

Beth swallowed hard as a hot flush spread across her cheeks. Yes he was positively terrifying, in every way. Big tall, mean and rough, but she had never expected this…I mean the way he had taken Judith , the way he had looked at _her_…the way _her_ heart had jumped when he said 'darlin'.

Carol folded her arms across her chest and smiled, leaning up against the wall. Well, heck…the whole prison knew there was practically no one that baby loved more than Daryl…but now Merle? Those Dixons never did cease to amaze. Maybe just like Daryl, this big gruff man had something buried deep inside. "Didn't know you had a way with babies." She called out softly to him.

"Yeah well," he answered as he turned to face them, "y'all don't know much about me…" They didn't know shit about him in fact. Spent a couple of weeks together at the quarry, when he was high as a kite, and then he disappeared, only to return one handed, after beating the china man within an inch of his life. Hadn't given this group the best of impressions.

Carol shrugged. "You're right." She said softly, "we don't." Hell they'd spent about a year with Daryl, and knew next to nothing about him.

"Well," he said, as he approached the table and leaned against it. "Daryl was fussy as all hell when he was born. An' with my Ma drinking and my Pop's being out all the time, wasn't I the one stuck dealing with that little shit." He took a deep breath, and looked down at Judith, now dead asleep and breathing out softly against his arm. "Carried him around this way, for the first few months of his life," he chuckled softly, "kids around the neighborhood used ta tease me, sayin' I was holding him like he was a damn football. But he liked it. Was the only damn thing would shut him up."

Carol looked across at him. All those times when Daryl had said "it was always me and Merle." She hadn't figured their bond ran that deep. Didn't realize it had been him and merle since the day he had been born, hadn't realized that maybe Merle had been more of a father than a brother.

"Eventually, he settled down. Got to be where you could actually set him down for more than two minutes without him bawling," He raised his head and motioned for Beth to come near. "He learned real quick, head down and mouth shut…now me on the other hand…." He started laughing and shook his head. "Come here darlin'" he drawled out to her, "come on an' take this little thing offa me 'fore she slobbers all over my arm."

He held his arm outwards for her, but Beth's hand still brushed up against his chest when she reached for the slumbering Judith. He felt like solid steel underneath his shirt. She could feel the heat rising from his body, and her cheeks felt flushed and warm. She refused to look up at him as she fumbled for the sleeping baby.

"Ya got her sweetheart?" he asked slowly his eyes burning into her. He had felt her hand brush up against his chest, felt her stiffen, and pull away hesitantly. He saw the bright flush that spread across her cheeks. She was a kid, scared and nervous sure…but there was something else. She was burnin' up too. He'd been around plenty enough women to know when they was takin' a look. Yeah, he was old enough to be her Pops, but there was no denying that he still looked good. He was menacing and tough, and maybe she wanted to get herself some of that. Somethin' to even out all that sweetness she had.

The baby transferred easily, but started stirring, the minute she settled into Beth's arms. "Ohh, no…" Beth mumbled, as she started bouncing her arms lightly. She was all nerves and fluster. She couldn't understand how this man had managed to have such an immediate effect on her. She could feel the heat radiating off his body, and her stomach curling into knots.

Merle leaned over slightly, and leaned his shoulder into Beth's his large hand reached out and rested on Judith's back. "Settle down darlin'" he said in a soft slow drawl, "ya aint got no reason to be frettin' now." His eyes went from Beth's burning face to the baby. He pressed up a little closer to the girl,and his large warm hand stayed still and calm atop the tiny infant until she stopped squirming, and her breaths grew heavy again.

Beth's heart pounded loudly in her ears. She stayed focused on the baby, and it was as if all her breath left her in a rush. She wasn't even sure if he had been speaking to her or Judith.

She didn't move or look up, until the man besides her, pushed himself from the table and reached behind them to grab his apparatus off the table. She kept her head bowed down, as she heard him fiddling with the thing, afraid to look up, afraid to catch his eyes. Heck, she could barely, catch her breath, the only thing she was sure of was the sudden warmth that had left her side, when he strode away.

"I'm gonna gonna head out to the towers," Merle mumbled as he walked by Carol, who stood immobilized, eyes widened , and mouth slightly open, by the whole exchange. There had been an undercurrent in that slight chat…it didn't take much to see that. Poor Beth had been left practically gasping for air. Christ almighty, she knew that feeling well. She'd been fighting against the Dixon charm for almost a year, but she thought narrowing her eyes, unlike Daryl the older Dixon seemed to know exactly what he was doing.

He paused for a moment at the door before turning, "Ya better keep an eye on that little Angel today," he smirked, nodding towards the two girls in the center of the room, leaving it up to Carol to decide who exactly he was talking about. "seems a bit worked up."

Merle Dixon smiled to himself as he picked up to a slow jog towards the courtyard. Nice to know, he was still able to bring up the temperature in a room with just a few choice words. That little sweet thing, the way she'd shuddered when she brushed up against him, hell maybe she wasn't too young after all. Lord knows, her body seemed all woman to him. A nice new toy for him to play with, never even been outta the box. Didn't get much better than that.

-the end

_Allright y'all let me know if you like, and if I should continue_.


	2. Chapter 2

_Thank you all for the amazing support and reviews ! It really helped me get off my ass and put another chapter out. Beth's not in this one...not really, but not to worry...plenty more to come, real soon. I think it's important to see how Merle does with others... especially Carol...lets keep this going guys...help me with my stories by , some of you may have noticed that I'm gonna try and cross reference between the stories when I get the chance. I'll give a head's up when I do. Chapt 7 of bunking down, is about chapt 1 of this story. Kind of confusing, but fun to do. Anyhow let me know what you think._

**Chapter 2- My brother's woman**

It was easy for Merle to stay away for the rest of the day. With Rick and Michone gone, every hand was needed on the outside. And besides, he knew how to play this game all too well. When it was a shy young thing you were toying with. You gave 'em just enough to start thinking' with, just enough to get them goin' with, they usually did all the rest by themselves.

In the evening, when Rick and Michone had come back, there'd been too much work to do, to even take a break for supper. If you could call that measly gruel they served at the prison, supper to begin with.

He'd taken a break only for the short de-briefing that Rick had offered. Something or other about running into someone from their past, someone who'd gone mad…hell he'd be the first to know the signs, Merle thought with slight chuckle. Either way, they'd brought back an arsenal of weapons with them…and as the prison's only expert in the matter, he took it upon himself to set up a cell, and start the process of separating and cataloging, everything they'd had.

He stopped only, when he heard footsteps at the cell, and the sound of someone clearing their throat. "I thought you might want some supper."

He looked up and found Carol, his brother's woman, standing in the doorway, a bowl cupped in her hand.

He fixed his eyes on hers for a moment, blue on blue….the coldest ice against the warmest blue waters, "that what y'all call this crap?" he asked with a nod, as he reached for the bowl.

She shrugged lightly, and their fingers met for a brief moment as he took the bowl from her. "You don't have to eat it," she said, "I'm sure Daryl'd want more."

"Daryl always wants more," he commented as he took the bowl, and found himself a spot on the lower bunk, "boy's a bottomless pit."

She paused for a moment, and watched as he rested the bowl, on his lap, he began spooning the contents up with his left hand. "Where you a lefty, before…." Her voice trailed off quietly.

He looked up at her for a moment, his eyes narrowing slightly as he tried to decide if she was giving him shit or genuinely interested, the latter won out, and he broke into a small smile, "nope…aint that a bitch."

Carol shook her head, and let out a small puff of air, "I can't do a darned thing with my left hand, that must have been hard to get used to."

"Well," he shrugged, in between mouthfuls, "getting' used to my left hand wasn't really the hardest bit… if ya know what I mean."

She looked down towards his stump, the hard apparatus still strapped upon it, "I can't even imagine." She whispered.

Merle looked up and raised an eyebrow, "Nah, you can't….good thing I was high as a kite…that helped a bit…but it was still a son of a bitch." He said coldly.

"And then…the Governor found you?" she asked, with uncertainty.

Well, Christ almighty, if his brother's gal wasn't a nosy one, he thought, was a wonder he tolerated her, boy couldn't stand to answer more than two questions himself. "More or less." He nodded.

"And," she continued hesitantly, "They fixed you up?"

He shrugged, and looked back down into his bowl. Sure, he'd been the talkative one, but his recovery from his self-induced amputation wasn't really his favorite topic, specially not when he was eating. Hell, he was a survivor, and he'd do it all again if he had to, but the pain…the pain was something he'd never forget; even worse than hearing his own blood curdling screams, mixed with the dull groaning sound of a dull saw working against bone. He wasn't fixed up…never would be.

"Ya gonna let me eat…" he said dully.

"I'm sorry," she said, flustering, her arms coming up to wrap around her stomach. "I didn't mean to…I'm scared…I'm real scared ya know."

Merle looked up and set his spoon down into the bowl. Shit, shouldn't his brother be handling this? His woman was all scared and …needy. Perfect opportunity to …offer some comfort…some love, sweet love. Christ sake, didn't that boy have his head up his ass when it came to this shit. If this was his woman, she'd be naked and underneath him right about now. He smiled for a minute thinking about that sweet young thing, wondering what she'd be like in that position.

"Ya should be scared." He said with a nod, his voice cold and matter of fact. "The Governor, he aint gonna take no surrender… He'll have a good time killin' me, and my brother…Chinaman and grandpa will probably go down easy, the boy too I reckon. You ladies here, if he can keep ya alive in the fight…he'll use ya for some fun…specially that pretty little blonde one. They gonna have fun with her." He said shaking his head, and clenching his jaw. Even he didn't like thinking what they'd do to Beth. "Michone, I reckon he'll take her apart bit by bit…and Rick…he'll get to watch."

Carol gasped, and folded over on herself, tears flooded her eyes and her hand came up to cover her mouth. "Is this…" she choked out, "is this…what you spent the past year doing, murder and…rape?"

Merle placed the bowl, on the bed beside him. He stood up and squared his shoulders wide, and took a small step towards her…just enough to let her know, who he was, and how he usually got spoken to. "I was chained to a goddamn roof and left to die," he said slowly, his voice cold and calm, "cut my own hand off to survive. You wanna know how I spent the past year…I spent it _surviving_. Doin' what I had to do. Some things, I liked…some I didn't. Killed plenty of people, done to others what I done to Glenn…and worst." Here his eyes narrowed and turned cold and hard. "But I didn't rape no women, didn't let it happen neither…but with you lot…there aint gonna be no one there to stop it."

"This man…this Governor," she cried, "He's a monster."

Merle nodded slowly and inhaled deeply, "Yep. He is."

Carol closed her eyes and scrubbed a hand across her face. She was trying hard to gather herself up. Probably shouldn't have scared the woman like he had, but it had been the truth…and shit, now wasn't the time to sugarcoat. He watched her take a deep breath, and turn to walk away, and he quickly grabbed at his empty bowl, "Carol," he called out. Hell he couldn't leave it like this….his brother would hang his ass out to dry. "Can ya take this back with ya?" he asked, "still aint done here."

When she turned to take the bowl Merle reached out and took a gentle hold of her forearm. "When they come," he rasped out slowly, "ya stay close to Daryl. My brother," he nodded, "he won't let anything' happen to you."

She looked up at him, blue eyes wide with sudden understanding and courage. Had Daryl talked about her…had something been established without her knowing it?

Quickly Merle let go of her arm, and reached on the top bunk for a handgun, something small and compact. He stepped forward and almost into her and his arm wrapped around her waist. She stood frozen, motionless as she felt the cold snubbed nose of the pistol sliding into the back of her pants.

She could feel the heat off him, off his chest, it came at her in waves, she could feel his breath on her, and his hand as it accidentally skimmed her lower back. She understood Beth all of a sudden, understood her flustered blushing shudders. She was a grown woman, and this man's nearness was having an effect on her….she couldn't imagine what it had done to the girl. It felt like being near a large animal, something that was untamed.

"And until they come," he said with a slight nod of his head, his eyes never leaving hers, his hand hovering over the gun that was now tucked into the back of her pants. "Ya don't go outside alone, _never_…yer either with Daryl…or me. And in here," he patted the gun softly, "this don't leave ya…_ever_… yer sleepin' with it till this is over. Got it?"

She nodded slowly, the grimy bowl still in her hand, her heart pounding loudly in her chest. He took a step back, and turned from her, and it was like someone turned a switch off…just as quickly as his intensity had been turned on, it had been turned off. "Like hell if I'm gonna let somethin' happen to my brother's woman." He said over his shoulder, his focus back on the guns.

Carol swallowed hard_, his brother's woman?_ Was she Daryl's woman? "I…" she started, "I'm not…"

"Go on woman," he snapped at her. Like hell if he was gonna discuss anything else with this mouse either, said enough as it was. Christ sake, she'd probably wanna sit here and discuss the ins and outs of his brother if he gave her a chance, somethin' they'd need a life time and a damn psychology text book to even try to decipher. "I got stuff to do."

Carol nodded and took another breath, letting it out slowly. She'd been walloped by so many emotions just now; she didn't know where to begin. She had to leave, find Daryl maybe, or take some time in her cell… "Merle," she called out softly, knowing he wouldn't turn, but glad that at least he'd stopped working for a moment, "Thank you."

She watched him nod, quickly and curtly, his body resuming the work it was doing, without turning. "If ya see my brother," he called out after her, "send him in here."

It was best to do some damage control, he thought. His brother was a bit dense when it came to things like this. Merle had to make it clear, what he'd said and done and why he'd done so. Hell, that dumb ass probably hadn't figured that woman to _even_ _be his_ yet. Easy enough to see. Whatever, the hell it was between them, her status had just been elevated to priority one. Then came that sweet little number, aint no one gonna break in here and get a piece of her, not without goin' through him first…then the baby he guessed. Pain in the damn ass, but she was a ray of hope to this group, specially his brother.

And just like that he spent his time cataloguing guns and people; what was worth what, and who was worth what, Priority of lives, priority of saving. And nuthin' did stop him till he heard her voice, the sweet sound of heaven in the dimmest hell.

Merle stepped outside his cell, and leaned his shoulder up against the wall. He closed his eyes for a moment and let her sweet voice wash over him. There was just no way he'd let anyone break into this joint and lay a finger on her. Guess she was having' the same affect he'd had on her earlier in the day. Only difference was, he was a grown man, had a lifetime to hone in his willpower, especially when it came to pretty young things; the kind ya were supposed to look at but not touch…just like this one.

The Governor's men, if they thought he was badass before, they hadn't seen nuthin' yet… there was nuthin like Merle Dixon when he was fighting to survive, fighting for his life. He stopped his thinking for moment and his eyes ghosted over his brother, his brother's woman, and that pretty little angel, singing in the darkened cell. Nah, they weren't takin him, and nuthin he considered his neither.

-the end


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning came too soon. The sun wasn't even up, and his eyes had snapped open. Years of early mornings had trained him that way. If it wasn't waking up with Daryl, when he'd been a baby, it was getting their ass up for school, then shift work…and then hell, the military had sealed the deal.

On this particular morning, the cell was grey and dismal, and there was a slight chill to the air. Better that way, he thought…always nice to have a snap of cool air to get ya moving. He sat up and threw his legs over the side of the bed, scrubbed a hand over his face, and stretched. This prison was a shit hole. There wasn't a single one of the conveniences of modern life left behind.

At least in Woodbury, he'd had his own space, own bathroom…kitchenette. Hell, it hadn't been much, but he'd at least had a change of clothes, a fucking toothbrush, and a bar of soap. He's get up there for his duty on the wall, and have time for a cup of coffee, somethin' to eat…be able to have that shit on his own, in his own space, without havin' ta wait around for his brother's woman, or that pretty lil' angel to get things goin'.

Christ, here it was just roll outta bed, throw on yer stank wife beater, run a dot of toothpaste over yer teeth, splash a handful of water down yer throat and head to the towers. Hopefully someone will be thinkin' to save ya some of that gruel they call breakfast, if not…ya aint eating till lunch, if yer lucky.

And now all these plans, all this preparation….all this dyin' just to keep hold of this shit hole, didn't seem too smart to him.

He was just walking out his cell, when he heard her. The soft patter of feet on the cement, it had to be someone light, and barefooted. He knew in an instant who it was.

It was still early for her, not yet dawn. Her hair was loose, and hung down in blonde messy waves on her shoulders, she wore a pair of loose men's boxers and a worn out tank top. "Morning," he called out softly.

"Oh," she startled, hadn't seen him in the dim prison, and hadn't expected to find anyone up in the pre-dawn hours. She would have worn a little bit more if she'd expected that.

"Didn't mean to scare ya." He said, as he came out and leaned up against his cell. She was half naked for Christ's sake, he thought, that bitty little threadbare tank top wasn't leavin' much up to his imagination.

"I…didn't think anyone…" she started lamely, nervous, and embarrassed. She had never been so scantily dressed in front of a man before, let alone one like Merle…one who fixed his eyes on hers and didn't budge them. One who stood leaning in a filthy wife beater that was stretched tightly across his broad, well-muscled chest.

"Ya alright?" he asked narrowing his eyes. He was pretty sure there wasn't anything wrong; he just knew he wanted to keep her there. She was a pretty little thing, and he liked watching her heat up and fluster under his gaze, and seeing that she was damn near naked, he knew he'd have no problem getting' her worked up fast.

"I just…was getting a bottle ready…for Judith." She mumbled, acutely aware of her breasts, without a bra, pressed up against her tank top, in the cool morning air.

"Chilly this morning." He commented with a slow nod of his head.

She swallowed hard and crossed her arms across her chest, wondering if he had been thinking the same thing she was.

"Ya arms are covered in goose bumps." He said with a small smile, reaching out and running a finger from her shoulder to her elbow. Her arm was soft and white and, he could tell by her reaction that his touch had left a scorching trail behind. "Here," he said holding out his black button down shirt towards her, "ya should cover up…'fore you catch a chill."

If he had two hands, he thought, he'd hold that shirt out for her to slip into. Then he'd help her button the damn thing, and cop a feel, run his knuckles along the front of her and bring her to her knees, with just a touch.

She nodded, and reached for the shirt. She didn't want the thing, didn't want to reach for it, and slide into it. She didn't want the odd intimacy of being half naked and wearing something of his. But she was shivering, and he was offering…. "Won't you need it?" she asked, as she slid her arms in, and pulled it closed in the front.

"It's alright," he shrugged, "I can go out like this….chill won't bother me none." Might actually help cool me down, he thought, especially after seeing you in the state you're in. He couldn't even remember the last time he'd seen such a fine young thing, in such a state of undress. Sure he'd had plenty of women, but at his age, it had been quite a while since he'd come near a piece of ass this age. Daryl had been right; girl was young enough to be his daughter.

Except really, no daughter ever did look at her Pops the way this honey looked at him. He felt her eyes on him, runnin' across his chest, his arms, his shoulders. Damn it, if his back wasn't as marred up as it was, he'd be having this talk with her bare chested. Let her get all her lookin' done at once. But a sweet lil' thing like her, she wouldn't be able to handle the looks of that; it would break her down just as soon as turn her on.

"Thank you," she smiled, more at ease now that she was covered, "Can I make you a coffee…or something, before you head out?"

"Nah," he smiled shaking his head, "don't you worry about me…I'm gonna have the cool air waking me up…I'm gonna be just fine." He drawled, before turning around, and heading towards the courtyard, "You go on back to sleep darlin'" he called out over his shoulder before he walked away, a vision of her half-dressed and wrapped in his black shirt floating in his head.

It was quiet on the towers. The quiet before the storm he reckoned. Only thing out there for now was the walkers, plenty of them. At least at Woodbury, among other things, you didn't have to see these sons of bitches. They was behind the walls, and the walls were thick, and covered, an you couldn't see nor hear them, easy to forget what kind of hell on earth you was living in. Here at this prison, you was surrounded, inside and out, the moans and the stench and the sight of these damn things never did leave ya.

Either way, he wasn't there more than a couple of hours, before his brother came up. "I got somethin' for ya." He mumbled, with a yawn as he rounded the last step.

"An' what would that be pray tell." Merle answered, sure it was great to be back with Daryl, but his little brother had changed. He'd not only grown up, but he'd grown apart…Merle wasn't sure he like that.

"I got ya some coffee, some oatmeal, an' yer shirt." He said, handing him he coffee, before placing the other two items on the ground.

"What I do to get all this?" Merle asked with a nod, taking a sip of the weak bitter coffee, and letting it roll down his tongue for a moment, savoring the taste.

"Don't know," Daryl shrugged, "wasn't me…Beth."

"Is that so?" Merle smiled as he took a seat with his back against the tower, "Well aint she sweet."

Daryl looked over at his brother and scowled. "Why'd she have your shirt Merle?" he asked with narrowed eyes.

"Well hell brother," Merle scowled, "aint you suspicious, I bumped into the girl this morning, an she was hardly wearing' a damn thing…I offered her my shirt…she was cold, and I thought better she should cover up."

"Hmmm," Daryl looked at his brother before fixin' his eyes on the horizon. "That don't sound like you, you usually like ta uncover…not the other way around."

Merle picked up his oatmeal and began to dig in, "Well that's true," he said in between mouthfuls, "but that aint what happened. I was just bein' friendly…what did ya call it…playin nice."

Daryl clenched his jaw and refused to face his brother, "Keep yer fuckin' hands of Beth," he snapped, "she's a kid…fuck Merle!"

"Christ sake Daryl," Merle answered with a huff, "why the fuck do ya think I made her cover up, I don't like to see her prancing' around half naked neither….damn near stopped my heart."

Daryl turned to look at him, a deep scowl set on his face, but when he saw his brother's eyebrows up and that one sided grin and he burst into laughter. "Just keep yer hands offa her." He grumbled.

Merle finished his oatmeal in silence, slurped down the rest of his coffee the rose to leave. As he slipped his shirt on he noticed the sweet smell of something gentle and soft imbedded in with the strong masculine scent of his sweat. She musta kept this one on for a bit, he thought smiling to himself, as he headed towards the courtyard.


	4. Chapter 4

_Okay, here's another chapter. Thanks for the amazing response. Guess i'm not the only one who finds Merle irresistable. Hey if ya like it...let me know. And if ya wanna DM and bounce ideas. I would love it. Dont forget to review._

**Partners**

It was hard to set up pairs for watch; Merle was like a thorn in everyone's side. And though he could be trusted, and his military experience made him invaluable to the team, his big mouth and brashness, rendered it next to impossible to form solid pairs.

And that had been another issue for Merle and Rick to go head to head on. Rick, having been an ex-cop believed in the power and safety of a solid partner, while Merle believed firmly that everyone in the group should be solid with one another.

"Ya being stupid officer friendly," Merle rasped from across the room. "It aint like cop land out there no more…this partner shit, it aint gonna work….say yer partner gets shot?"

"Your partner isn't going to get shot." Glenn had snapped, with distrust.

"It's easier to learn another person's style completely….it makes you infallible." Rick had countered.

Daryl, shrugged, "yeah, infallible with that one other person…I side with Merle."

"You're always gonna side with Merle." Glenn seethed, bouncing nervously from foot to foot; his hatred for Merle could not be checked. It was infecting the relationship between him and Daryl… and by association Daryl and Maggie.

Herschel, had stood quietly and watched the group argue, where Rick and Merle were concerned there would be no middle ground, both men held hard to their own beliefs and wouldn't budge. Truth be told, it had been Merle who'd given the most…always pulling himself apart from the group, and keeping the famous Dixon temper of his in check.

"Ya got somethin' to say to me?" Daryl asked Glen, with a flick of his head. "You come out an' say it."

"Stop!" Carol called out, standing in between the two men. She held Judith in her arms and turned to face the angrier of the two, "Daryl…" she pleaded.

"I agree with Merle too." Carl added from across the room; he shrugged nervously, "you can't guarantee that you'll always be with your partner…"

"I mean we don't know when the governor's going to hit us right…." Beth piped in nervously, "so how can a partner possibly work?"

"It won't." Merle called out, from where he leaned against the wall.

"Goddamn it!" Rick shouted….and the room one again filled with tempers.

It was Herschel who calmed the group, his voice which was rarely raised louder than the pleasant grumble of a grandpa, boomed against the concrete walls, "enough!" he shouted. "The real danger's out there…not in here…Rick, Glenn, you need to let go of your anger towards Merle…now's not the time…we need to consider his experience…."

"We need to consider that he's evil." Glenn, spat out.

"There is no greater evil, than men's failure to consult and to consider." Herschel said wisely, his hand reaching out to land on Glenn's shoulder.

"This isn't the time for bible quotes either." Glenn grumbled, but settled considerably under the older man's heavy touch.

"It aint the bible," Merle called out, pushing himself from the wall and approaching the group. "Was the Greeks?"" he asked with a nod towards the older man.

Herschel nodded slowly, and narrowed his eyes, the older Dixon never failed to surprise, and perhaps that brute of a man was even more complex than his brother. "Even over a thousand years ago, the importance of coming to a common ground bore weight, especially in matters of war. We can compromise…do both."

Rick shook his head and ran a hand over his greasy hair, "Teams for watch then, fixed teams for watch only…the rest of the time, we train, we practice, we work….together."

Then came the time for making teams that was next to impossible as well, it was Merle's decision that the teams should be male/female, which was instantly viewed as sexist by most of the group.

"If y'all are captured," he'd explained slowly, "most likely they gonna keep the women alive, least for … the night," he rubbed a hand uncomfortably across the back of his neck, "better if ya have a man with ya…more of a chance."

Beth let out a small sob and covered her mouth, she ran up the few steps that separated her from her father, and tucked herself into his shoulder, crying, "Daddy."

Merle looked up and fixed his eyes on the young girl, he wanted her with him, no way she was gonna stay behind with the old man. "Sorry ya gotta hear that sugar," he mumbled uncomfortably, "but this group's got to know…the governor he aint gonna be taking it easy."

The only women Merle got along with were Carol and Beth, and though Herschel was insistent that his daughter be left inside to watch Judith, she had fought against him, wanting to help the group, and put in her time defending the prison.

And so it stood; Maggie and Glenn, Daryl and Carol, Carl and Michone, Merle and Beth, and Rick would be working either with Herschel or on rotation with whoever was rested.

The next steps were easy, a schedule was made, Glenn and Maggie left for the first watch, Beth and Carol took off to help Herschel gather and prepare a stronghold for himself and Judith, and Carl and Michone went out to scout the south end of the prison.

"Merle," Rick started, eyeing the older Dixon warily, "You're probably more familiar with the surrounding area, anyway you can scout out these maps, come up with a fallback location…some sort of meeting spot?"

Merle grabbed the maps and headed out into the yard. There was an old truck out off to the side, it was pretty well covered, out of the line of fire, back was stacked up with some old wooden crates, an old ripped tarp…it gave him some shade and a place to sit alone, enough room to spread out the maps and come up with some sort of game plan…group like this, they'd need a primary spot…then a further one… true fall back, and then a plan from there. Couldn't risk getting split up again, not the way things were out there, not with the teams they had…not that he'd mind bein' all alone with that little darling for a day or two, he thought with a smile, but things wouldn't be easy when they were on the run.

He'd been at it about an hour or so when he sat back to take a break, and saw the young little angel walking out across the courtyard towards him with a bottle of water, "there you are," she called out, picking up to a jog when she saw him, " I was looking for you…_partner_." she added with a slight smile.

He tilted his head back and laughed, "I like the sound of that darlin'" he said with a wink.

He watched her blush, and look away, "I was just teasing." She smiled.

"And so was I." he laughed again, as he sat up and scooted over, patting the spot besides him so she could sit. "Watcha got there?" he asked.

She slid up next to him on the tail gate, not quite touching, but close enough , "Oh, I brought you some water," she held it out to him, "thought you might be thirsty."

"Well aint you the sweetest little thing on two legs," he drawled, opening it up, and pouring some into his mouth. "Coffee, and breakfast in the mornin', nice fresh water now, aint no one ever treated me so nice." He finished with a wide smile and fixed his eyes on hers. Damn it, if she wasn't such a pretty little thing he thought, 'especially when she was all flushed and nervous.

She shrugged, "Just the way I was brought up I guess…you know…do onto others an' all."

He capped the bottle and set it down between them, "Well you were brought up right," he nodded, "a man could get used to this…real easy."

She laughed a little, and started feeling uncomfortable, though he never did or said anything directly; there was a way about him that just made her feel like he was getting ready to gobble her up whole. "Well, there aint many men left so…" she started, regretting the words the minute they came out of her mouth.

"Oh," he started slowly, leaning towards her to give her shoulder a slight bump, "I could think of one or two who'd be more than happy." Christ almighty, he thought, was he flirting' already? Girl was less than half his age and assigned to him to keep her ass safe, an already he was starting' on a bad note. A dangerous note.

She laughed nervously, and looked at the ground, in front of them. "Ya got young Grimes trailin' you around like a damn puppy dog for one," he started, hoping to break some of that delicious tension he had spent the past two days building, "way that boy was glarin' at me today when these teams were made, hell I thought he was gonna shoot me on the spot."

She looked up at him; her wide blue eyes warm and happy, fuck he thought he was gonna melt. "He's just a kid." She huffed.

"So are you!" Merle huffed back, bumping her with his shoulder again.

That soft low grumbly way he laughed, lit something up deep inside her. "I'm not a kid," she snipped, "I'm eighteen, at least….probably almost nineteen."

"Ohhh," he nodded, this time leaning against her and letting his shoulder stay put, "all grown up then." He said softly, his voice raspy and warm. He knew the spot he was tugging at inside her, it was easy enough to hit.

"Yes," she said firmly, with a nod of her head. "I am."

"Well good," he whispered, turning his head to face her, letting his eyes look into hers, until he saw her go red, "I'm glad."

She swallowed hard, knowing full well she had been playing with fire, and decided to keep her mouth shut.

They sat silently like that for a couple of minutes, he took up the bottle, had another swig, and watched her as she bit down hard on her lip, before bracing her arms on the tailgate and pushing herself off.

Fuck, had he upset her that much, he thought. "What's the matter?" he asked.

"Just…just thinking." She said quietly.

"I upset you?" he asked. He didn't want her goin' in all half weepy like that on day one, old farmer'd put a round in him in no time.

"Well before," she said turning to face him, her eyes filled with fear, "when you said about the men, what they'd do to us if we got captured…Is that…true?"

He pushed himself off and stood in front of her, nodding slowly, "it's true darlin', this aint no game we're playin'…lives are gonna be lost, and women…they might get…hurt."

"I…don't know if I can…do this." Her eyes filled with tears, as she stood in front of him, her hand coming up furiously to wipe them away.

"Ya got two choices darlin'" he rasped, setting his hand on her shoulder, and lowering his head to look her in the eye. "Ya either stay put inside, with yer pops and the baby, get yourself ready to run, or ya stay close to me. Yer Pops will keep ya safe," he said slowly, "or die tryin." He started rubbing her shoulder slowly beneath his large warm hand, "and I'm gonna do the same. I'll keep ya safe."

"I know," she started, as the tears started to fall, "but…if…"

"Look at me," he said softly, his thumb reaching out to stroke the side of her cheek. "There aint gonna be no if's, they gonna have to get through me to get to you. That's it, ya understand? They gotta get through me." He said again as he wrapped his hand around her neck and pulled her into his chest.

She went into his arms easily. Her head up against his chest, her arms wrapped loosely around his waist. She didn't care about being shy or embarrassed or nervous, she only cared that right now, this man… this man was her only salvation. And as scared as she was, being in his arm, pressed up against that solid, steel chest of his, she felt a hundred percent better.

"You listen up darling," he said softly against her hair. "You gotta get it all out right now. You get all yer cryin' out and done against me sweetheart, cause when yer done, ya gotta start being strong. Ya gotta get ready for this thing, ya gotta get ready ta fight." He said fiercely before resting his lips atop that sugary blonde head and planting a kiss against it.

Herschel Greene had been limping towards the far end of the courtyard. Beth had disappeared not too long ago with a bottle of water in her hand, and a promise of dropping it off to her new "partner" Merle, and returning swiftly.

He hadn't wanted Bethy out on the front lines at all. And sure, there probably wasn't a man in the group that could keep Beth as safe as Merle Dixon, but that still didn't mean that their pairing didn't make him uneasy. Bethy, was young, scared, vulnerable and impressionable. All the worst combinations to face up against a seasoned wolf like Dixon. He'd chew her up and spit her out in a second, if he had half a mind to. Not that Herschel suspected he did. Dixon hadn't done a thing other than be cordial, but still, as a father…a man had his worries.

What he saw, when he rounded the corner, had him frozen in his tracks, there in the distance he saw his youngest, head down facing Dixon, who in one swift move pulled her hard against his chest. He watched in frozen horror, as his little girls wrapped her arms around his waist and settled up against his chest, before he placed a kiss atop her head.

With a clenched jaw, Herschel limped back into the shadows, and kept his narrowed gaze fixed on the two new "partners" that stood embracing in the distance.


	5. Chapter 5

_Ok - hey, this one's a teeny bit slow...but y'all gotta know what's going in inside Merle's head here. I promise, loys of Meth to come. Y'all gotta hang on in. Hey do me a favor...if ya like it send me a review._

**Herschel**

That evening Merle sat in his cell, methodically sharpening his long angled buck knife. He had his prosthetic arm pinning it down, and he ran the stone along it, in smooth even strokes. It wasn't as if the thing wasn't sharp as a razor already, and besides with the shear blunt force he used, the thing hardly needed an edge to it to inflict serious damage. It was just the motions, the repetition, and the soft rubbing sound of metal against steal that calmed his nerves.

He thought about that little darlin' he'd been having so much fun with lately. Of how she'd looked with those great big blue eyes filled with tears, a long smudge of dirt down her cheek, and a taffy pink lip trembling, as she broke down today. He'd never had a woman in his arms like that. Most of the times, he'd had women in his arms when they was getting' down to it, or right after, or hell at least they'd already done it, Always had a tease of sex to it, not like today. It had been so foreign to hold someone in such an innocent way. He wasn't quite sure if he'd liked it or not. He knew she did, Christ almighty she'd burrowed right in, and he wasn't sure if he'd ever get her out. Felt her body relax, as he'd rubbed her back, heard her let out a long shuddering breath as he'd kissed that fine gold hair. Felt like he was holding an angel, and he wasn't quite sure what to make of that.

"Doing a fine job on that knife," he heard, looking up to see the Farmer, approaching his cell, on his crutches, a shotgun strapped across his back.

He shrugged, now what in the hell did he want. "Not much else to do here."

"May I?" Herschel motioned towards the cell and waited for Merle's quick nod, before entering, and hobbling over to a small sparse table so he could lean up against it.

"You know," he started slowly and cautiously, knowing full well the type of way one had to handle a man like Merle Dixon, "I never did dislike you."

Merle's eyebrows shot up, and he stopped sharpening, placing the stone neatly besides the knife. Old man had used the past tense. That didn't go unnoticed.

"I don't approve of what you did to Glenn, boy's like a son to me…" he took a deep breath, and pulled his arms out of his crutches, laying them to the side, "I'd like to believe you were just following orders there."

Merle inhaled slowly and his eyes narrowed, fixing on the old man's face. Where this was going, he wondered.

"And, I'd like to believe that you had nothing to do with what happened to Maggie." Herschel paused and folded his hands in his lap, "That you didn't even suspect. That's how," he continued slowly, "I've been able to reconcile myself with your presence here, I've judged you on your current actions…not on your past deeds. I've given you careful consideration."

Merle nodded slowly, old man was up to something, "And now?" he asked.

"And now," Herschel nodded, "I'm going to ask you for the same." He paused, and looked down for a moment before setting his eyes on Merle's. "I saw you with my daughter today."

Fuck, Merle exhaled, so that's what all this was about. Had to hand it to the old man, he wasn't gonna dick around on this one.

"My Beth, She was in your arms," Herschel continued, "and I saw you kissing he, Bethy's young, and frightened…a man like you, could use that in his favor….take advantage of a sweet girl in her weakest moment."

"That why ya brought your shot gun?" Merle asked, "gonna put a bullet in my ass?"

"I'd have every right to." Herschel said grimly.

Merle nodded, man had some balls. "True, your little girl," he started, "she came to me cause she was afraid... no terrified, of what's gonna happen here, of what will happen to her, if those men get their hands on her… I was tryin to…" he shook his head, and shrugged lightly, what had he been trying to do? "I don't know…calm her down?"

Herschel eyed the man, "Comfort her?" he asked incredulously.

Merle groaned lightly, "guess you could call it that," he nodded. "Mind you I dint set out to have her in my arms, it wasn't like that ol' man. One minute I'm tellin' her to tough up, and the next she's standin' there sobbin'… kinda took me by surprise. It aint really my thing to go after someone quite so young, if that's what yer asking."

Herschel nodded slowly, "I'm not too happy, that you two have been partnered up." He said frankly.

Merle looked down for a moment, and let out a low throaty laugh, "She aint my first choice either gramps."

Herschel chuckled slightly, he had to hand it to the man, he was honest to a fault, "But you will protect her."

Merle stood and walked over to the edge of the cell, looking out through the bars, the small group huddled together…always together and him always set off from the others. His brother, this old man, that pretty little angel, they was the only ones to show him an ounce of kindness. Not that he gave a shit; he was here to keep an eye on Daryl, not to make friends. But still, was a little easier when ya didn't have to be watchin' yer back inside and out. Maybe, it wasn't too neighborly of him to toy with that little darlin' after all.

"I aint gonna let anything happen to her." He said hoarsely, his eyes still fixed on the group outside.

Herschel stood slowly and gathered his crutches. This had gone better than he had hoped. Regardless of what the others thought, he saw something in this man, something akin to what they all saw and loved in Daryl. It was buried much farther down, but it was there, a deep rooted honor, something his younger brother now wore so easily without even knowing it.

Slowly he hobbled past the man before pausing, he turned and fixed his eyes on Merle, forced them to be as cold and hard as his eyes could be. "And you won't lay a finger on her either." He said, with a sharp nod. As honorable as he might be, Beth was precious, and beautiful, and Dixon he was a man through and through.

The older Dixon turned, old farmer had the right idea, about how to handle things, how to get things done. No need for bullshit, just get right down to it. He was good enough to keep her safe, but not good enough to get some; understandable and true, no doubt about that. He could snap that old man in two, pull his sweet little girl out from under his nose and fuck her so fast it would make his head spin. Merle Dixon was a master of many trades, and one of them was the art of seducing women who thought they'd try a taste of redneck.

But then again, old man had a set, Showed up in here cold, no bullshit, Laid it all out on the table. Didn't matter if that little Angel would be easy prey, he'd keep his hands to himself. And without giving it another seconds thought, He raised his head, and nodded firmly. "Ya got my word old man."


	6. Chapter 6

_Hi y'all sorry it took so long for this next chapter...I was in mourning ! That last episode damn near killed me. Not sure if I can even bare to continue with any of my tales. Anyhow, enjoy...and please review...it keeps me going._

**Peace treaty**

Two days later they got a visit from Andrea. It wasn't planned and no one was more surprised than the few who had stayed behind at the prison when the group had been up at Woodbury. Everybody else had seen her, but to his brother's woman, the old man, and Beth, it had been close to a year since they'd last set eyes on her.

Of course Merle had spent some months with Andrea. She was a stuck up bitch who crawled into the governor's bed not two weeks after she had turned up half-starved in the woods.

Always had a look of contempt for him, Merle thought, and she never did thank him once for bringin' her not only to safety, but to the Governor's side. She just rode around on her high horse givin' orders like she was runnin 'the show instead of just fuckin' the boss.

Tried once or twice to tell him what to do, and he had just walked away. She thought he was a henchman, blamed him for it…never once came round to the realization that it was her man giving the orders…telling him exactly what to do.

She didn't fool him none. And she didn't fool the others neither. Daryl and Rick they had seen her besides the Governor when she had pitted him against his brother. She could have run anytime, but she stood beside that man, went home and fucked him afterwards too probably. No, there was no love lost between them. Never was, and never would be.

And now she was here, inside the prison; glarin' at him from across the block, as if he needed more reasons for these folks to mistrust him. She claimed, to have come to broker some sort of peace treaty. A meeting of the minds, between the two parties. They both knew it wasn't gonna work, both knew what kind of man the Governor was. He narrowed his eyes at her from across the block, and turned away, she was foolin' with these folks, and they both knew it.

It was after she left that Rick pulled in the "inner circle" for a consultation on whether or not it would be wise to trust her. He retreated into a cell with Glenn, Herschel and Daryl, didn't even look twice in his direction.

Merle had smirked and grabbed for his gun. So, his little brother was the boss's right hand man, he thought, a position he'd recently lost at Woodbury, that stung just a bit. Wasn't enough he was treated like a piece of shit, he was out of the loop as well, even though he knew the most about Andrea, and her intentions. Hell he was annoyed, but he'd walk it off, do a round of the yard…maybe take a look at the south end.

He looked over at his "partner" she'd just put the kid down and was headed towards her cell. He'd spent the past two days trying to distance himself from her, and that didn't sit too well with him neither. The girl was a sweet young thing, nice to look at and nice to be around. A man can't get shit on all day every day, and that sweet young thing was like a ray of sunshine. Ever since they'd been set up as partners she'd taken to bringing him all of his meals and his coffee too. She was as sweet as could be, and he wasn't too happy about having to push her away.

She always looked up at him with those wide blue eyes and he could tell that they were filled with a type of adoration he'd never had thrown his way. Well, maybe from Daryl, when he'd been a kid, before he'd realized what a shit he was. And from time to time, he'd catch her sneaking a glance at him, and he could tell there was somethin' else in there too. Somethin' that maybe she hadn't had a chance to know about yet, somethin' he was quite familiar with.

Either way, he wasn't too keen on cutting' her loose. Wish'd he hadn't made that promise to her Pops, but he was set on keeping it. I mean fuck, he thought as his eyes tailed her, just cause he promised not to fuck her didn't mean he couldn't spend a little bit of time with her.

"Hey Darlin" he called out suddenly with a low whistle, "why don't ya come on out to the yard with me an check on some fences."

Beth poked her head out of the cell and smiled brightly, nodding with excitement, she hadn't had much of a chance to do anything other than sit in the tower with Merle, ever since the day, she'd broken down on him in the yard something had shanged between them. He'd pulled himself away a bit, maybe he'd seen a side of her he hadn't liked, she thought, something week and soft, and unable to care for itself. So, she welcomed any oprtunity to redeem herself in his eyes. She was his partner afterall, and there was something else, something about him that she couldn't pin down.

She was young, that was certain, and any experience that she had ever had with the opposite sex had been, with farm boys, as young and Christian as herself. They'd sweated and fumbeled through every interaction. She'd never gotten very far, and never thought she would want to, not until she was married of course, and ready to start a family.

But suddenly, everything inside her had been flipped upside down. When she caught glances of Merle Dixon leaning up against the bars of his cell, worn out and dirty, that wife beater he wore stretched tightly over his body, there was something inside her that just melted down. She didn't understand it, it wasn't exactly the type of fluttery butterflies she used to get with Jimmy, it was a slow hot, yearning. Like she just wanted to touch him, run her hand down his ragged cheek, down his muscular shoulder… give him something to feel good about. He pulled at something deep inside her, something she didn't know she had.

And walking besides him, down the darkened corridors that led to the outside, she made a vow to herself that she would try, to either understand him, or the feelings she had for him.

"Are you pissed at Andrea?" she asked, picking up her pace so she could fall in besides him.

He turned to face her and quirked the side of his lip, "Nah, I aint pissed at her, just never much cared for her is all."

"But you did spend the whole winter with her…right?" She asked, confused, she couldn't imagine being in a group where you didn't care about all of the members, though with Merles arrival that had started happening to them.

"Andrea spent the winter in the Governors bed." He said slowly, his raspy voice catching on the word bed, and drawing it out. "She never cared much for me, was disgusted by the things I did, never did realize it was her fuck buddy was the one layin' out the orders."

Beth furrowed her brows, "What kind of things did you do?" she asked timidly.

"All sorts of things little girl." He answered, as he pushed the heavy metal door that led to the courtyard open, and turned to face her. "All sorts of things that would make yer skin crawl, and keep ya far, far away from me."

She swallowed hard, and blinked her big blue eyes at him. Was he as bad a man as everyone in the group thought, she wondered. Her daddy was always giving him mind, and he was the best judge of character she had ever known.

"Now, when we're out here darlin' we gonna stick to the rules right?" he asked, pausing to fix his eyes on hers. He knew his past statement would stick with her, give her somethin' to think about. He weren't no knight in shining armor, and he didn't ever wanna be thought of as one. "Ya remember 'em right?" he asked.

"Yes," she nodded, "Keep the chatter down, stay alert, stay one step behind you, and always close enough for you to touch me."

He laughed, "To _grab_ ya. I aint gonna be _touching_,' I'm gonna be _grabbin'_. Ok, come on then." He nodded towards the yard, and she fell in close behind.

"Why do you want me behind?" she asked, she understood the other points, they made enough sense, but she hated not being able to see his face when they talked. "All the others go side by side."

"Yeah well," he gathered up some spit and let it fly, "The others are dumb asses. If ya had a lick of gun handling experience, ya'd be behind me to cover my ass. That's the way it is, standard two man formation, I'm takin the 9 to 3 o'clock spots, and yer coverin' the 3 to 9, real basic. "

"Oh," she startled, "Shouldn't I be like…walking backwards…"

"Nah," he chuckled, "aint much point out here, 'sides you'd probably trip and blow my damn head off."

"Hey!" she said, reaching out to smack him lightly on his arm, "That's not nice, I'm trying!"

"I know you are darlin," he laughed, "but there aint much point in you doin' that, ya aint got the skills with a gun, and besides," He paused for a moment, and narrowed his eyes. Hell, he'd promised the old man he wasn't gonna touch her, but not that he'd push her away. "Yer behind cause I wanna keep ya safe."

They walked in silence for a few minutes, Beth trying to catch up, trying to fall in step besides him, she didn't much like the notion of having to be kept tucked away and she was surprised by his willingness to do so. When they rounded the corner, away from everyone's main line of vision she reached forward and grabbed at his arm to stop him, "Hey," she said, with a slight frown, "slow down for a minute, stop."

He slowed and turned, stepping back until they were pressed against the side of the prison, his eyes did a quick scan for safety before he nodded up at her, "what?"

Beth looked at her feet, and blushed a little, "I either wanna walk besides you, or learn to cover you, I don't wanna be….some, I don't know…burden, that you're stuck with. It's not fair."

He leaned his shoulder up against the wall, and looked down on her. Damn if she wasn't just the prettiest little thing, 'specially when she got a little bit worked up, she had a flush in her cheeks and those big blues eyes narrowed a bit. "Darlin'," he started, "There aint nuthin' fair about this new world we're in. Not one damn thing. You aint a burden, yer a sweet young thing that wasn't made to be totin' a gun, and doing rounds with a man the likes of me, I don't blame you for not havin' an ounce of experience…it's just the way it is."

"Well," she huffed, angrily, "I mean, I can shoot a gun, I'm not totally useless. And I want to be out here," she continued quickly, "I want to be with you!"

Beth looked away quickly, her cheeks caught on fire, and her breath was heavy. Fine she had told him, she didn't care. She did want to be with him, he intrigued her, and surprised her, and what's more she knew he could keep her safe. He was the only one in the prison who had ever, before this day, given her an ounce of credibility where her ability to protect herself had come into question, and now he was retracting every damn thing. She felt foolish, like a child who had been, tricked, and she was pissed off.

He looked down on her hard, and broke into a slow deep chuckle. "Cool yer jets darlin'," he drawled, "I never said you were useless, and I never once said I didn't like bein' out here with ya. It's quite the opposite actually…I'm startin' to like it a little too much."

"Well," she faltered, shifting her weight from one foot to the next. "I like it too." She whispered.

He ran a hand across his hard stubble. Damn if that didn't set his blood on fire. He knew she felt that way, but hearin' it come out of her mouth….hearin' it all whispery and soft…that did things to a man. "I know you do angel." He whispered back.

"The past couple of days…" she started, taking a slow step closer to him, "I thought maybe you were sick of me…"

"Nah, that aint it." He said raising his hand and resting it on her shoulder; he wasn't the type of man that played games. "I had a talk with yer Pops…." He started.

Underneath his hand, he could feel her body tense, "What kind of talk?" she asked slowly. This was getting worse than she had imagined. Had her daddy actually said something to Merle Dixon about her?

"Oh this an that…" he said vaguely, his thumb starting to rub up and down on her shoulder, "he aint too happy havin ya out here, on the front lines…with me."

Beth shook her head slowly from side to side, "I volunteered to go, and …there's probably no one here, other than maybe Daryl who could keep me safer than you."

Merle nodded, "He knows that darlin, he's worried that's all…aint much more to it than that."

Beth nodded slowly, fair enough, of course daddy was worried, what kind of father wouldn't be. "So, he asked you to _babysit_ me?" she asked incredulous.

"He asked me to keep ya safe," he said, his eyes narrowed and set on hers. His heavy warm hand released her shoulder to travel up to the side of her neck, where it rested for a moment, feeling the soft, warm, tender flesh beneath his fingertips, "from _everything_…..including myself."

Beth fought to swallow the large lump that had formed in her throat. She hadn't ever had a man speak to her that way, or look at her as if there wasn't a thing left in the world besides her. "I'm not so sure I like that idea." She said in a whisper.

His eyes travelled down her face and back up again, he could feel her pulse pounding beneath his hand, and he cursed the moment he'd ever said a word to that damned old man. "Yeah," he rasped with a smirk, as his grip tightened and he pulled her closer, "I don't like it much either."


	7. Chapter 7

_Hey all y'all. Sorry that took so long...Merle's death just put me into such a FUNK...anyhow...im movin this slow... along slow smolder...but im wonderin' a bit, # 1- is this goin too slow and #2 should he keep his word ? Please all y'all REVIEW_

**Stuff**

"_He asked me to keep ya safe," he said, his eyes narrowed and set on hers. His heavy warm hand released her shoulder to travel up to the side of her neck, where it rested for a moment, feeling the soft, warm, tender flesh beneath his fingertips, "from everything…..including myself."_

_Beth fought to swallow the large lump that had formed in her throat. She hadn't ever had a man speak to her that way, or look at her as if there wasn't a thing left in the world besides her. "I'm not so sure I like that idea." She said in a whisper._

_His eyes travelled down her face and back up again, he could feel her pulse pounding beneath his hand, and he cursed the moment he'd ever said a word to that damned old man. "Yeah," he rasped with a smirk, as his grip tightened and he pulled her closer, "I don't like it much either."_

Merle pulled her close, his big strong hand wrapped around her neck, and he leaned his mouth up against her forehead.

Beneath him, Beth's eyes fluttered, her heart pounded, and her breath caught in her chest. Was he going to kiss her? She was scared, terrified and elated all at once. Then his lips pressed against her forehead, and she simply closed her eyes and leaned into his solid form.

"Thing is darlin'" He said against her brow, "That it aint too often I give out my word…and it just so happens I gave it yer Pops."

Beth let out a long shuttery breath, "Daddy," she started, "daddy had no right…."

Merle pulled his head back, and fixed his cold steel eyes on hers, "Yer Pops had every right sugar," he said looking down into her sweet blushing face. "I'm an old man….an yer just a pretty lil' thing…"

Even though, he had pulled his head away, his hand was still on her neck, the heat of it against her bare skin was driving her crazy. He was so close to her, so close she could just lean forward and press her lips against his…if she had the guts to.

"You never even….did….anything…." she stammered.

"Nah," he said, taking a deep breath, and letting it out slowly, "but I guess he reckoned I was fixin' to."

Beth, looked up at him, and smiled softly. Something was happening inside her and she couldn't even begin to comprehend it. She felt like she was standing on top of a cliff and looking down. She felt like her chest hurt. She felt like her heart was going to explode. She looked up at him again and said, "Well, were you?"

He laughed a deep slow southern grumble that almost made her go week at the knees. "I reckon I was sweetheart." He answered her, "I was fixin' to do a whole lot of things."

Beth swallowed hard. She wasn't dealing with boys anymore, wasn't dealing with obscure things and desires, she knew from the heat he was sending off that Merle Dixon knew exactly what kind of things he wanted to do to her and for the first time in her young life, Beth wanted to do them too.

Her face turned red, and her breath caught up in her chest at the mere thought of what was going through his mind, and hers.

"Unfortunately," he sighed, rubbing his thumb in slow lazy circles on the side of her neck, "for the time bein' I'm gonna have to keep my hands…I mean my hand…to myself. Not that ya aint worth getting shot in the ass for darlin', cause I'm sure you'd be worth every second…" he smiled as he let his eyes rake over the length of her body. "But right now it aint just me in this equation…if I go an' get myself killed, there aint gonna be no one to look after my brother…an' I aint gonna risk losin' him for no one, not even an angel like you."

She looked up at him and nodded slowly. "You think…my daddy would shoot you?" she asked, in a small voice.

Merle raised an eyebrow, and let his hand fall from her neck and slide down her back, "If I took up with you?" He asked incredulous, "shit yes! Man came into my cell with a shot gun just the other night sugar."

Beth shook her head slowly. Merle Dixon was the type of man who could raise the temperature about a hundred degrees with nothing more than a word or a look, but he could bring it down just as fast, if not faster, and he just did. She was embarrassed, slightly, one minute she had been gazing up at him, mouth open, willing and wanting things she didn't even know much about…and the next minute he was laughing and joking as if not a bit of it had happened. It was hard not to feel a bit foolish.

"My daddy would never…" she began protesting.

"He did, and he would darlin," Merle laughed out softly, stepping into the courtyard with her behind him. "And so would Officer Friendly, and Chinaman, Yer sister would claw my damn eyes out, hell even young Grimes would have a go at me."

Beth smiled softly, it was true, she thought sadly, if he ever so much as laid a finger on her, no matter how much she wanted him to, there wasn't a person in that prison who wouldn't turn on him. "What about Daryl?" she asked tentatively, "would he be pissed too?"

"Well," Merle shrugged, reaching his arm behind to grab at her, "stay closer darlin," he issued, before continuing, "I reckon my brother's so far up Rick's ass right now….he'd get himself all up in a tizzy too."

"Michonne?" she asked slyly.

"Are ya crazy?" he answered with a laugh, "My head would hit the ground before I even dropped my drawers."

Beth blushed furiously, and Merle looked back and gave her a quick wink. "Come on," he said, reaching his hand back and giving hers a quick tug without breaking pace, "I'm messin' with ya….don't be getting' all shy."

Merle like the fact that despite her most earnest efforts at playing it smooth with him, any talk that even remotely veered towards the physical had her stuttering and blushing, she was about as pure as could be. And truth be told, he didn't have the slightest notion about how they got on so well. There was no denying, she was nice to look at, but it was more than that…it was the way she treated him…the girl couldn't get any sweeter, and that was something Merle Dixon suddenly realized he couldn't get enough of.

"There's always Carol?" Beth ventured shyly, regaining her step, always close to his side, but one step behind.

"Hmmm," Merle nodded, and pulled up the side of his mouth into a wry smirk, "I'd say my brothers woman, might be the only one who wouldn't wanna go after me fer that. I'm not sayin' she's fond of me or nuthin'…but she's givin' me a fair shake…'sides she seems like the only one in the group who treats ya like an adult 'stead of a child, she might be more inclined to lettin' me keep my balls intact."

Beth giggled slightly; she liked how he referred to Carol as "his brother's woman" even though it clearly drove Daryl crazy. Carol, by this point had gotten used to it, and for the most part ignored him, but Daryl still would turn beat red, and tells him to "shut it", but Merle never let up, it was always "Yer woman this" and "yer woman that", and there was something about the way poor Daryl squirmed awkwardly at those words that managed to get a smile out of everyone.

"And there's always Judith," Beth shrugged, "she would take your side I bet."

"That little thing don't count," Merle laughed, "she can't even talk…though if she could…I'd be bettin you're right." He couldn't help but admit, as much as he went out of his way to avoid that thing, she was darn cute, and he did have a way with her.

Since the first time he had calmed her down, both Beth and Carol had seeked him out to settle her down, when she'd bee particularly fussy. It seemed he was the only one who could lay her across his arm comfortably in that special hold of his, and he'd walk around, going about his business as if she wasn't even there. And though the sight of it did warm her heart, it also made her sad. She could imagine how long it had taken a young Merle to get his fussy baby brother settled like that all on his own, when he should have been out playing with friends and it broke her heart just a little bit.

"I don't know whose arms she'd rather be in…" Beth piped in, "Mine or yours."

"Well," Merle drawled out slowly, finding a nice rhythm of conversation with this young girl. That was something he had sorely missed since he'd set foot in that dammed prison, no one ever talked to him, 'cept his brother…and conversing with Daryl wasn't exactly easy. "I'd venture so say she prefers mine… most women usually do." He added with a smile.

Beth looked down at her feet; she blushed before she even said it. "I know I do." She mumbled softly.

"Well aint that so," Merle replied without slowing a step, or looking back, "that's nice to hear sugar…but I think it was my arms around you that done caused this whole talk with yer Pops to begin with."

"Aughh, that day in the courtyard," she groaned.

"Yeah," Merle slowed as he reached the gate, "I think that might have done it."

"I'm sorry." She whispered. It had been her first day out, with him. She had been so proud of herself for having finally convinced Rick and her father to let her out on patrol, and she had been so secretly pleased to have been assigned to partner with Merle Dixon, still it hadn't taken more than half a day for her to be reduced to tears. She had felt like such a damned fool.

Merle stopped leaning against the heavy metal door that led inside, and turned to face her. "Ya aint got nuthin' to be sorry for angel….ya aint done nuthin' wrong."

She smirked and shifted her weight from one foot to the other, "If I hadn't fallen apart like that…maybe daddy wouldn't have gotten on your ass." She said, without thinking.

"Oh," He considered, with a nod, maybe it had been more than just a bit of curiosity on her part, maybe this little darlin was wanting the same thing he was. "And what would've happened then darlin'?" he asked slowly.

Beth looked up, and turned bright red. She hadn't even considered the consequence of those words. Hadn't even really thought out, what all could have happened. "I…I don't know…" she stammered out, "…stuff…." I guess.

He raised an eyebrow, and leaned in slowly, standing his rifle in the corner, before reaching out and doing the same with hers. "Stuff…huh?" he rasped out.

She looked down, at her shuffling feet, and tried to back away but she was backed up against the door. "I mean….things…you know?" she said swallowing hard.

"Oh I know," he said slowly as he inched forward. He was about to raise that temperature again. "I know all about stuff and thaangs." He drawled out all slow and lazy. "I was just wondering if we had the same kinda thaangs in mind?" he asked as he took the final step forward, resting his forearm on the wall behind her, and pressing g his body against hers.

Beth couldn't breathe. He was right up against her and she could feel the warmth coming off his solid chest. She could smell him, all man, and gun oil, and a hint of some sort of soap. His eyes were narrowed, blue and grey, with short curled lashes.

"I was thinkin'" he said as he leaned down towards her, his lips pressing lightly against hers, his tongue coming out smoothly and running along her bottom lip. "About a little bit of this," then he stepped forward and closed the last tiny bit of space between them. She gasped lightly as she felt him, full and hard pressed against her stomach, "and a little bit o' that."

"I…I…" Beth closed her eyes, and fought against the incredible urge to pass out. "I…don't know."

"That's alright darlin'," he whispered, "cause I know plenty for both us….but unfortunately," he swallowed hard, and took a small step back, "yer old man…he got that idea right quick."

Beth nodded, lightly; she didn't even know what she was agreeing to. She only knew that she was transfixed, shocked, she couldn't keep her eyes off him; she couldn't reign in her hammering heart.

And Merle, he looked down at her, and damn it all to hell, if he didn't just think that she was the prettiest little thing he had seen in a long, long time. In fact he couldn't even remember ever having a woman who was so young and so innocent look at him the way this girl did. She was all open eyes and adoration, and he knew in an instant, that she wanted him right then as much as he did her. He wasn't a fool, he knew he was an old man, and the pickin's were slim…he knew that she was scared and he was a badass, and she liked that feeling of safety he was bound to give her. But there was somethin else too, girl just about lost her breath and passed out cold from not much more than a few choice words and a kiss. Hell, slim pickin's and a feelin' of security don't cause that kinda heat.

"But I suppose," he muttered, as he leaned in, "That one little kiss aint gonna kill us." And with that his head leaned forward and he pressed his lips against hers, his arm came up her side, and settled on her neck, and his tongue slid in between her parted lips.


	8. Chapter 8

_Hey all y'all im back. I wanted to take the time out to thank ALL of you for some awesome reviews. Ive enjoyed each and every one of them and I apreciate the hell outta them. I'm happy y'all enjoy the pace- the long slow smolder, and I thank all of you so much for the praise on keeping them in character. I try my absolute hardest to do so.I got quite the laugh when you all recognized the stuff and thaaangs...had to get that in somehow...glad it worked. Ok so here we goPLease...if ya like it..let me know._

**Solitaire**

Dinner was a tense affair that evening. Andrea's visit had truly shaken the group. On the one hand it had been soothing to see someone from their group over on the other side, but when the realization of how truly clueless she was when it came to the Governor's actions set in, all hopes were dashed.

Only Michonne and Merle had seemed to truly understand the depths of the man's depravity. And it was also only the two of them who understood how he had been able to fool an entire community so flawlessly. Andrea had left the prison, unsure of where she stood; she held promise of a peace treaty. Merle and Michonne both knew that hopes of a peaceful resolution where beyond hope, but for the sake of the others they didn't say a word.

After the meal, the group scattered glumly and silently, into different corners of the small block. Glenn and Maggie slinked off into their own cell, hands clasped together. Michonne and Carl, had evening watch, the boy and the she- warrior, got on well, and they were always happy to walk the fence. Rick had gone off with Judith in his arms. Daryl and "his woman" were off in the corner, heads close together and hushed voices, and the old man was in his cell reading scripture.

He was about two games into solitaire, when she came up beside him. She wore pink sweatpants and a tank top, and this time she'd had the sense to cover up with a hoodie, though she had left it unzipped.

That kiss they had shared earlier in the day had done nothing other than cement what had once been only an inkling of desire. She understood full well now, that she not only liked being with him and near him…but she also wanted him. A feeling that had, until very recently never occurred to her before. Yes, she had liked Jimmy, a-lot…she had even loved him actually. He had been her friend and her neighbor her whole life. She had envisioned marriage and children and a whole life with him. But she had never once envisioned him naked in her bed…doing things to her.

"Hey there Darlin'," he greeted with a nod of his head. That kiss had been a mistake, where once he had only wondered how sweet she'd taste; now he knew. "Looks like yer all ready for bed."

She shrugged and slid into the bench across from him. "I'm bored." She said.

"Hell," he laughed. "It's good to be bored…mean's ya aint fightin'. Means y'er _surviving_ ."

She nodded in agreement, "but still…" she started.

"But still…" he chuckled low and deep, "this place is borin' as hell. There's no doubt about that." He smiled and looked up at her, damn if she wasn't a pretty little thing. If she was his, there wouldn't be a minute of spare time when she was bored. She'd be in his arms cryin' out his name every chance they got. "Ya up for a game of cards?" he asked.

"Nope." She answered, "Don't like cards."

He looked up and smirked. "Ya just gonna watch me then?"

"Uh-huh" she nodded.

"Alight then, be more fun if we played somethin," he said as he gathered the cards up "But suit yerself."

She watched silently as he stacked them on the table to shuffle one handed. "What was it like in Woodberry?" she asked him suddenly.

"Well," he took a breath, and looked up, his fingers neatening up the deck in front of him. Even fucking solitaire was a bitch one handed. "It was a town Darlin', a _whole_ town so it was different."

She paused for a moment, watching as he started his game "Was it more…fun?"

He looked across at her and smiled, damn, she must be bored. "Course it was more fun. There was a town square, an' a library, a bar…an people, lotsa different people."

She couldn't imagine it really; she hadn't seen people, lots of people, live people in ages. "Did you all… get along?"

Get along? Well, he thought, hell most of the people didn't know what the Governor was doing behind the scenes so yeah…they got along. "Most of 'em were just glad to have found a place sugar, just to be alive."

She nodded in understanding and let the conversation drop for a moment. "Nine on the Ten", she said quietly from across the table.

He looked at her and smirked, "sure ya don't wanna play?"

"No," she answered quickly, "Just helping .Did you have…friends?"

"Friends?" he asked raising an eyebrow, and keeping his eyes on the cards. "I knew everyone. And I didn't have no problems with anyone."

"Five on the six." She said quickly, as she pointed across, "There, see? That's not the same thing."

"No it aint," he answered, wondering if this was what girls did…talk an' talk an talk. "I guess you could say there was a few men I hung around with." He thought back on Martinez, Crowley, some of the others, yeah they were sort of like friends.

"Where there…women?" she asked shyly, a blush spreading on her cheeks.

Oh, he got it, so this is where she was headed. Christ, did it only take one kiss? "Oh yeah," he answered, keeping his focus on the cards. "There was plenty of women."

She nudged him gently under the table. "You know what I mean!"

"Ouch, sugar!" he looked up and gave her a quick wink. "You mean_, did I have a woman_?"

"You don't have to answer." She said quickly, shyly, her hand reaching to play with the frayed cuff on her sleeve.

He kept his eyes on the cards in front of him. "Ok," he said without looking up, "I won't then."

She was quiet for a moment, her fingers picking absently at the threads, pulling one after the other. He looked up at her and saw a hint of hurt and worry in her wide blue eyes. She was young and sweet and fragile. He knew he could crush her feelings in an instant, without even thinking.

He reached over and gave her index finger a gentle tug. "Hey," he said to get her attention, and when she looked up he fixed his eyes on hers, "I didn't have no one." He said in a whisper, as he let go of her finger. "I aint that type of man." He finished quietly, as he reached across to shove all the cards into a pile.

She nodded quietly, and looked up. "Want me to shuffle 'em up?"

Normally he would say no. He was dead set on proving to everyone that he could do anything better one handed than they could do with two. But this time he nodded quickly, and pushed the pile towards her. He let this little darlin' do a lot of things for him lately, and he was getting' dangerously comfortable with it. Havin' an angel bringin' him his breakfast, lunch an' dinner, it weren't so bad at all. Havin' her stack up a few clean wife-beaters on the edge of his bed, he could live with that as well.

"You wanna have a go?" he asked nodding towards the deck that she placed in front of him.

"Nuh-uh," she shook her head. "You go on….." She smiled across at him, and reached to tuck a strand of long blonde hair behind her ear, while pulling her legs up beneath her. "Maybe…you…uh…never found the right…person." She said quietly, without meeting his eyes.

He looked up to her, and narrowed his eyes. He hadn't been following really. He's been focused on her fingers as they'd tucked that strand behind her ear, or her long legs folded up beneath her. "Say what darlin'?"

"I…uh…" she shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "I said maybe the reason; you didn't have anyone there was… that you uh…hadn't found the right person."

He slapped an ace down on the top of the table, and took a deep breath. What the hell was he doing here? He was damn near fifty years old. And she was what, a fucking teenager? He was an ex-addict, a womanizer and a mean spirited son of a bitch. And to top it all off, he was one handed to boot. Sure she was pretty, she was gorgeous actually, and sweet as a hot ripe peach on a summer day. But she was a kid. He wanted her, wanted to fuck her in every way under the sun. But hell, he wasn't no "right person", not for anyone, let alone an angel like her.

"Nah, That aint it." He grumbled. "There aint no right person for me sugar. Never was, and never will be."

"Oh," she said quietly, almost too quietly to be heard. She had been trying to flirt, trying to play it like an adult. They had kissed. A kiss like nothing she'd ever felt before. A kiss that had taken all of her resolve away, and left her with a molten lump of lava in her core. She was coming to the slow painful realization that maybe he had just been toying with her.

They were quiet for a moment. The sound of cards hitting the table and her soft intermittent sighs the only sounds that could be heard.

"Three on the four." She said listlessly, to break the silence. "And that six…right there, on the seven." She reached across and pointed at the card.

He slapped the card down, a little harder than he should have. "There's a reason it's called solitaire." He grumbled.

"Sorry," she said quietly, retracting her hand and resting it on the table in front of her. "I can go; I can tell I'm getting on your nerves."

He could have told her to stay. He should have really. But he nodded tersely, and simply said "Night" between clenched teeth.

He didn't even look up, when she unfolded her legs and got up from the table. But he did watch her little tight ass in those sweats. And he saw how her shoulders drooped a little, and her head hung low.

Fuck it all to hell. He'd hurt her feelings already and he hadn't done a damn thing. Hadn't even gotten in her pants. Fuck all; normally he wouldn't give a shit. He'd be happy actually to snap her lil ass into place. But this little Angel had a way with her eyes when she was sad. Christ almighty if they didn't make him feel like a son of a bitch.

He grumbled to himself, and kept slappin' down cards. Took two whole games before he couldn't stand it anymore. He was bored to shit, and pissed at himself on top of it all. He didn't want to be havin' any sort of feelings right now. He wasn't no dumb ass like Daryl, who didn't even know, an couldn't' even understand what was goin on. He knew damn well. He'd always known. Why was he a cold heartless son of a bitch….cause it was easy, plain an' simple. His mamma died too young, his pops beat the shit outta him. He'd had a little brother that had wagered every ounce of hope on him to save his ass, and he'd fucking walked off and left him to pay his dues.

It weren't no picnic lookin back at his life. And it didn't do no good wishin' he'd had a better life, a better family. He had what he had, and it made him hard. That was a fact. It wasn't easy for him and Daryl to accept feelings from other folks. Especially women. They saw men like them and all they saw was the broke, they saw somethin they needed to fix. Wasn't easy to all of a sudden be flooded with feelings and affection you never had. These women didn't understand men like him and Daryl; they didn't even know how to begin to accept that kind of shit…let alone reciprocate. Easier, to push em away.

Now Daryl here, he'd found a nice little group. They had a lot of respect for him. An' they cared about him even, hard as it was for him to accept that it was true. And he'd even found a woman. Didn't take much to see she had fallen so hard and fast for his brother she'd do just about anything to keep him. He supposed that dumb ass didn't even know. But, the way they had gotten away with it, was by keepin' their distance…they kept him like a stray dog, bowl of food and water…sometimes a pat on the head… but he aint ever gonna wanna come in.

Merle, he wasn't a stray dog. He was hard, cold as ice and mean as hell. Aint no one ever looked at him and wondered what there was inside of him. There wasn't anything inside. It was all outside, plain and easy to see. He'd had plenty of friends, and plenty of women. But there hadn't ever been any feeling's, that wasn't how he was built….till now.

Now all of a sudden he was feelin like a piece of shit. He was feelin like maybe he wanted someone for more than just a fuck. He was feelin' like it felt good, real good to have someone look at him like they wanted him…_all of him_. And when he did what came natural, pushin' them away…he didn't like the way that felt at all.

"Fuckin' hell!" he grumbled throwing the cards on the table, as he pushed himself up and headed towards her cell.


	9. Chapter 9

_Hey all, I'm back with another. First off, I want to thank all y'all for the overwhelming response to this story. Its been amazing, and appreciate every single review and PM that I receive .Im glad y'all aren't getting sick of the pace...this is gonna be a long slow SMOLDER. That's the kind of man I think Merle is. Thanks to those of you who have become new Merle converts because of me... that is a huge compliment, and a thrill. Thank you thank you thank you to all those amazing reviews about my writing. I neglect so much in order t do this...and your praise makes it all worth it. Well...here we go...an apology...Dixon style._

**APOLOGY**

He could see her, lying on her back in the bottom bunk, a book held in her hands, a small lantern flickering besides her.

"Hey there darlin," he called out in a whisper, "Ya got a minute."

She looked up and rested the book across her stomach. "Yeah," she answered, "come on in."

His eyes roamed the length of her body. She was layin on a bed, and he could make out her nipples pressing against that threadbare top. "Nah, darlin'," he said shakin' his head, "Why don't you come on out here."

He watched as she put her book down, and sat up. Her breasts fell into place, and he swallowed hard. "Get yerself yer cover up too." He said, turning his back to the door. "Don't wanna be talkin to ya when yer half dressed." He wasn't gonna get too far if he had to be lookin at her tits for the whole talk, that was sure.

"It's a tank top and sweats," she huffed out angrily as she reached for her hoody, "I wear less than this when I'm out sunning…you're just as bad as daddy."

"Yeah well," he said stepping back so she could come around him, "I aint yer daddy, an' ya aint out sunnin'…a top like that's bound to give me a damn heart attack."

She raised her eyebrows and blushed a little. "Well, what's up ?" she asked, as she reached for her hoody and slid her arms in, being careful to zip it up, just enough.

He looked at her and shrugged. Hell, he didn't even know why he had come. Hadn't even formulated a game plan. He sure as shit wasn't gonna apologize. He couldn't kiss her again, hell if he did in that outfit he'd have her pinned against the wall in no time. He motioned towards the end of the block, "walk with me fer a minute will ya."

"Well hold on then," she sighed as she ran in and slipped her feet into a beat up pair of tennies, hell when she bent over, and he got a glimpse of her ass in those tight little sweats again, his mouth just about dropped open. "Okay now, what," she asked coming out and setting pace besides him.

"Back there at the solitaire," he started, what the fuck was he supposed to say. "I aint bein' an asshole just to be an asshole sugar," he started again, "The thing is…ya got to talkin about findin the right person an' hell darlin' I aint the right person for nobody."

She, was beginning to understand, maybe this was a Dixon apology, or an explanation at least. She wasn't as clueless as she looked, and she'd spent nearly a year watching Carol play tug of war with Daryl, had she really expected to get this Dixon just two weeks in?

"So, you're pushing me away?" she asked.

Well, damn, she wasn't a dumb blonde at all. "Well, I mean I aint pushin' you nowhere," he suddenly didn't like the sound of that. "I just got the notion that maybe you were thinkin' somethin that can't be happenin, an I acted like an asshole." He shrugged slowly. "No big thing…ya just stomped off all pissy…"

"Well, yeah," she cut him off, "I was…_am still_…a little _pissy_. You hurt my feelings, and I'm always nothing but nice to you."

"Hell darlin," he shrugged, slowing down so he could lean up against the wall. "That's why I'm here."

She looked up at him, and she had to admit that it was true, there was nothing right about the way she was feeling. _Even if_ he felt the same way_, even if_ he agreed to give it a try, _even if_ they managed to get over her inexperience and his voracity _even if_ all these things fell magically into place. There was no way anybody at the prison would accept them, NO way no how.

But still, when she looked at him, leaning up against the bars, his face so tired and worn, the dark grey stubble on his chin, the deep worry lines by his eyes, the scar that ran across the bridge of his nose. She just wanted him; she wanted him so badly she didn't care about any of those reasons.

"I like you." She said suddenly. It came out like a whisper. She didn't even know if she had actually said it.

He reached out his hand and rested it on her shoulder, his thumb stretching out to rub her cheek. How the hell did this conversation go in the exact opposite direction than it was supposed to go? "You think I don't like you?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

He watched as she raised her hand and pressed it shyly to his chest. "I want you." She whispered. She had never in her life said those words aloud, and they scared her.

"Don't." he shook his head lightly, "don't even say it sugar. Don't even think it, cause it aint never gonna happen."

She raised her eyes to look at him; they were the widest blue he had ever seen. They made him think of summer skies, and robin's eggs, and deep pools of clear water. They made him think of all things peaceful.

"It can't happen darlin." He said again, though his hand snaked around slowly to cup the back of her head.

She smiled up at him and Christ almighty if it wasn't like lookin' right into heaven. "It's too late," she said softly, "It already did happen."

She stepped forward closing the gap between them, her hand slid across his solid chest and rested firmly on his back, where it gripped onto his wife beater, and gave it a tug. She stepped up on her tippy toes, and leaned her face towards his.

Merle watched it happen almost in slow motion, her lips parted, her eyes fluttered for a moment and then shut, and every single ounce of resolve he had left his body. In one swift move he pulled her towards him, and wrapped his other arm around her waist. He stepped back, into the shadows, and pressed her up against the wall. His mouth was on hers in an instant, open and greedy, his tongue reaching in to taste her, to tease her, to bring her to the edge.

He plundered her mouth, and then moved onto her neck. The skin so soft and silky, tasted of salt and body wash. He nipped and sucked and licked, fighting the urge to mark her, mark her for all to fucking see.

Beth's other arm wrapped around him. She held on to his shirt, gripping it tightly in her fist. She had never been kissed like this. She felt like she was caught up in a tidal wave and she just held on for dear life and let herself be taken.

His hand came of her neck and went to her waist, sliding up slowly; it was on the side of her breasts, cupping the softest weight he had felt in years. Beneath him he felt her tense for a moment, and all of a sudden he came back down to earth.

He pulled off her neck, and looked down, at her face. It was a mix of fear and desire, and eagerness and want; he could have her in his bed so quickly she wouldn't have time to be scared. But damn it all to hell she was so young_, so damn young_. He'd figured she was probably inexperienced… but hell this girl was _inexperienced_. He doubted she'd ever even been touched. He was an old man. Fuck!

He leaned forward and pressed a kiss on her forehead. "Come on darlin'" he whispered, his voice commin out in pants, "We can't do this….ya know we can't….aint no point in us even playin' around like this…aint nuthin can come outta this 'cept maybe getting me shot."

"I don't care." She answered. She could barely breathe. There was nothing she wanted more than to stay in his arms.

"Well hell!" he chuckled softly, and slid his hand down to her hip. "That aint exactly nice sugar, I was just beginnin' to think ya had a thing for me."

She was still gasping for air, still gripping on to him. "That's not what I meant…" she started.

"I know what you meant, darlin", he whispered leaning forward to press his forehead against hers. "Don't seem right we can't go on, seein' as we're both wantin the same thing, but we can't. And we can't go on like this neither. This here's gotta end."

"I don't want it too." She mumbled shyly, letting go of his shirt, and letting her hands fall to her sides.

He chuckled, and pressed himself against her for a second, letting her feel him full and hard against her waist. "Think I want it to?" he asked, "There's a whole big gap between wantin and doin darlin'…and we're caught up in the middle."

Beth blushed a deep shade of red. Of course she knew about sex. She'd never done it, hadn't even come close. But, of course she knew about it, knew about how it could be when a man wanted a woman, she'd just never imagined that she could have those feelings too. And she never once thought she'd be standing across from a man, feeling his desire and knowing she felt the same way…and knowing he knew…and that he could have her. It was embarrassing. It was intoxicating.

He knew he had embarrassed her. Pressing himself up against her and letting her feel what she did to him, what he wanted from her…he knew it would embarrass her, but he wanted her to understand. This wasn't no sneakin' around the farm to hold hands and do some heavy pettin'.

Merle lowered his head so he could be level with her eyes. "I aint a boy darlin," he drawled out softly.

She bit her lip, and nodded, refusing to meet his eyes.

"Ya understand," he asked leaning even lower so he could meet her eyes. "I aint gonna be satisfied with just runnin' off fer a kiss or two….I'm gonna be wantin' more….that's why this can't be happening no more…ya understand ?"

She nodded quietly in assent. She knew he was right, she'd known it all along. She was young, but she wasn't stupid. He was a man, and she knew what he wanted, the problem was….she was wanting it too.

"Come on darlin'," he said with a nod of his head as he motioned her back towards her cell. "We best be headin' back, before we do somethin' we're both gonna regret."

They walked back towards her cell silently, side by side…their arms bumping each other's absently now and again. They both knew there was a heat between them that needed to be quelled, and neither said a word about it.

Beth wasn't a fool. She knew how her family would react if they knew about her feelings. Her daddy, and Maggie…Glenn was practically her brother. And then there was the rest of the group, it wouldn't sit well with them either. She knew Merle Dixon was too old, too rough, too hard, too…unpredictable. But, there were so many other parts too, things no one even bothered to notice because they were too busy being caught up in their hatred or their fear, just like she had.

No one ever remembered the way it had been with Daryl. The way they'd had to work around his temper. The way he'd spit out every word like an angry kid, and glare at them from across the fire before storming off. No one remembered how long it took for him to come out of his hard protective shell. They didn't remember how long it took for them all to fall in love with him, but she did.

She hadn't expected to see a light shining inside of Merle Dixon. She hadn't expected to be drawn to him. It had just happened. She had seen that just like Daryl, he had something beautiful inside of him, and it was so unexpected.

Merle paused in front of her cell, and stepped to the side. He nodded once at her, "Night sugar."

"Goodnight Merle," she said softly as she stepped inside. She turned, and watched him, still there, on the outside looking at her through the bars. The way the darkness and the shadows hit him, did something to her that she couldn't even begin to understand.

"Hey" she called out to him softly, as he had started to walk away, "I won't regret a thing."

He looked at her and narrowed his eyes for a second before breaking out into a slow lazy grin. "Hell sugar…" he muttered, "looks like yer fixin to get me killed."


	10. Chapter 10

_Hey all- i'm back...sorry about the wait...spring break. Here's another chapter for y'all. But first of all, I needed to thank all of you who took the time to comment on my story. I've been overwhelmed by the quality and quantity of the reviews. Thank you-thank you all so much. Writing is usually a thankless endeavour , especially in the realm of FF-and you all are the reason it's worth it. To those of you who have commented on me keeping Merle in character, To those who are new to the Meth ride...to those who love my writing...Thank you...thank you...thank you... If I was less inept I would call you all out by name ! As always reviews are what I live for...and suggestions as always are welcome !_

**Dissention in the Ranks**

For the next two days they focused on behaving. It wasn't hard. The group was up in a tension. Word had been sent, Andrea had set up a peace conference with the Governor. Each group would send out their leaders, along with two good men.

It had been decided in a flash, it would be Rick, of course, and then Daryl and Herschel, the voice of reason. They all knew Glenn would be too emotional to bring, he'd be bound to seek revenge. And Merle, he hadn't even been a consideration.

Of course Merle had grumbled, raised his hackles and stormed off. He didn't like the idea of Daryl going off unprotected like that. Hell, the only one between him and getting shot was the old one legged farmer. That just didn't sit with him. He'd only just gotten his baby brother back, he wasn't about to lose him on the cause of bad planning.

He'd waited till the car had driven out of sight, till Michone and the kid had closed off the gates before he stomped off across the yard towards their block.

"You aren't going Merle," Glenn called out from in the block, coming up with the rest of the group behind him. "That bastard sees you and he'll kill all of them, it's not worth the risk."

"I aint gonna sit here while my baby brother walks himself into an ambush." Merle had growled. "That aint a risk I'm willing to take."

"Andrea assured us this would be safe." Maggie piped in, standing beside Glenn, her arms crossed across her chest.

"Andrea's a whore," Merle snapped "Y'all haven't figured that one out yet!"

Beth flinched from across the room, but kept her mouth shut. She'd only rarely been witness to one of Merle's black moods and they frightened her.

"Andrea may have made a bad choice in partners, but she wouldn't give up the group." Carol whispered, her arms folded across her chest.

"Y'all don't know who to trust no more." Merle shook his head and spit across the floor. He was pissed off.

Glenn narrowed his eyes, "Don't spit in here, this is where we live."

Merle stood up straight and pulled his shoulders back, he looked twice his size. "Why don't ya try an stop me china man." He snarled.

Glenn flew across the room and threw himself at Merle, who dislodged him easily with one shove and sent him flying across the room, "I aint gonna stop this time boy," he snapped, "Ya better watch yerself"

Glenn scrambled to his feet, and was ready to dive in again, but it was Maggie and Carol who held him back.

"You fucker!" he screamed from across the room, "If it wasn't for you we wouldn't even be in this fucking mess! We wouldn't be fighting for our lives!"

"Me?" Merle shouted back, taking two steps towards him, "I came to you in good faith Chinaman; I dropped my fucking gun when I saw you."

"You put that fucking knife to Maggie's throat you son of a bitch!" Glenn spat back.

"And why'd I do that huh boy, go on…you tell em…go on" All eyes were fixed on Glenn, "He wouldn't tell me where my brother was aint that right? You were fixin to leave me behind again…aint that right China."

"Glenn," Carol started her voice shaky… "Is that true…is that what happened?"

Glenn glared at her incredulous, "You think I would bring _him_ back to the group? Look at him? You see what he's like."

"But what about _Daryl_?" Carol asked, "What about what it would have meant to _Daryl_ to have his brother back?"

She couldn't believe it, couldn't understand why Glenn had done what he had done. NO one had ever thought to ask him what had happened, thinks had happened so fast once they'd gone missing. No one had asked for any specifics, it had been vague; Merle had taken them, beaten him to within an inch of his life, delivered Maggie to a rapist and then pulled Daryl from the group. That's really the only way the picture had been painted for them.

"What about Daryl?" Merle laughed, "You think they give a shit about my brother? They left his ass on the side of the road without turnin' back once." Merle spat out.

"Glenn?" Carol asked, "Maggie?" Daryl choosing to leave them had been the single greatest hurt she had faced since the loss of Sophia. It had suffocated her; the knowledge that he would chose to leave her like that had literally knocked the wind out of her.

"That's not how it happened," Maggie huffed, "he's trying to rattle us, to pull us apart. Daryl _chose_ to leave us."

"They didn't tell ya did they?" Merle turned to face Carol, "Ya thought yer man chose to leave ya just like that ?" he shook his head and smirked, his eyes narrowing towards the couple standing together across the room, "That's not how things went down woman, my brother wasn't given no choice."

"Maggie," Carol asked quietly, her hand rising up to her throat, tears forming in her yes. "What happened out there ?"

"We wanted him to come back with us…just not with Merle. Carol, think of what he'd done to Glenn, to me." Maggie, was squirming. The reasons didn't seem so solid now, looking back on them. Having set up such an impossible choice for Daryl, it didn't seem right all of a sudden.

"I didn't lay a finger on you." Merle said through clenched teeth. His eyes flited across to Beth for less than a second, "Don't ya fuckin dare be sayin' I did."

"What happened with Daryl out there?" Carol whispered frantically, "What did you all do to him?"

Glenn shook his head, and wrapped a protective arm around his woman. "We didn't do anything wrong, Carol…it's not like you think. We didn't tell him to leave; we wanted him to come back…just not with that _asshole_."

"Watch yer mouth china," Merle snarled, "fore you be spittin' out teeth."

"So you made Daryl _choose_?" Carol asked, her hand on her heart, "How could you make him do that…Daryl , after all he's done for us….you know he loves his brother…how could you…"

"It wasn't just us," Maggie whispered, "Carol, it was Rick…he…."

"Bullshit….it was yer man over there…y'all wouldn't let my brother come back, cause little big man over there said it wasn't gonna happen. Y'all left Daryl on the side of the road. An ya didn't even tell his woman….now aint that the truth?" Merle shook his head and narrowed his eyes at the two standing across the cell. Now didn't this fucking group top it all off. He had half a fuckin mind to grab that Chinaman and beat him the rest of the way to hell. Little fucking prick disrespected him, his brother and his brother's woman.

"How could you…?" Carol asked, her blue eyes filling with tears.

"It aint like what ya thought woman," Merle turned towards her, for some reason, he didn't like the thought of his brother's woman sufferin like that. Especially when it was all over bullshit. His lil brother may be a dumb ass when it came to women, but this time he hadn't done a damn thing wrong. "My brother," he continued, fixing his eyes on her, "He couldn't stand bein' away from ya….hell he turned tail an left me within a day…he wasn't fixin to leave ya…not Daryl…he aint like that."

"I just…." Carol shrugged her thin shoulders, "I don't understand why y'all didn't tell me? Why you let me go and think that he had left me….just like that…I had no idea…I just thought he walked away."

"You're the fucking devil!" Glenn spat from across the block, "I know all about this shit you're pulling… this fucking dissention in the ranks crap…it's not going to work….we're a fucking family and you're… nothing !"

"Stop it!" Beth shouted suddenly. Her calm gentle voice had never been heard that loudly in the block. "Stop it both of you!" She turned to face the man, she had once considered her brother, "You're causing just as much dissention as he is, and Merle…_please_…don't do this!"

Maggie's eyes widened and went from her sister to the hulking man across the room and back. "_Merle_ _please_?" she asked unbelievingly, "_Merle_ _please_...what the hell is goin' on between you two ?" she turned suddenly and focused her rage on Merle, "What have you done to her you son of a bitch ? What have you done to her?" she screamed storming across the room, until she stood in front of him, "she's just a kid you son of a bitch" she screamed as her hand flew out to smack him across the face.

Years of a foul mouth with women had sharpened Merle's reflexes considerably when it came to face slapping. He dodged back and reached his hand out simultaneously to grab her wrist. "You best rethink that woman." He said with an eerie dead calm in his voice. "I aint gonna stand here calmly and have you and that boy of yers be accusing me of doin things I never done, cause I aint never hit a woman neither," he said as he lowered her wrist and pressed it to her side, "but if ya don't change the way ya speak to me, I'd say yer fixin to be the first."

With those words Merle grabbed the duffel bag of weapons and turned his back on the group storming across the block. It was silent for a moment, and then Judith's cries started in. Thankfully they hit hard and fast with the complete and utter urgency of a fire alarm. And they startled the group into action.

"I'll go get her," Beth mumbled, hanging her head.

"Beth," Carol called out, laying her hand across the young woman's arm, "let me get her….please…go sort out Merle." She said with a small feeble smile and an understanding nod.

"What?" Maggie started, "Carol…you can't be serious …"

"Oh stop it," Carol shook her head as she headed up the steps towards Judith's increasing wails, "can't you see how close those two have become? For Christ sake Maggie do you really think he'd hurt her? Just please…make yourself useful, and get me a bottle…and you…" she paused for a moment and fixed her eyes on Glenn, "we aren't through here Glenn…I'm going to want to talk to you….when I get Judith settled, I'm going to want to find out about everything that happened out there…you hurt me Glenn…you really did."

Glenn lowered his eyes in shame. All hell had broken loose and they others had only been gone about an hour…they were never going to make it through this day.

_-I know its not the romance y'all wanted...but some things just needed to be said here ! And dont worry...plenty of lovin' comming up ahead !_


	11. Chapter 11

_Hey I'm back with another one. Once again I want to thank all of you who have stuck with me and reviewed. Each and every review you send goes straight to my heart. I'm trying to get back to each of you individually...if I missed you...sorry...next round. I apologize for those of you who think the burn is toooo slow...that's just how I see it. Dont y'all worry they'll be gettin' down soon enough ! To anyone that wants to help, either with the story line, or the betta, or just the smutt...please send me a PM. And to all you readers- please, please, please keep on sending those reviews...I LOVE each and every one.. Especially the long ones. Thanks again._

**Penance**

Beth found him in the yard, by the old blue pick-up he usually liked to sit on, the one with the wooden crates in the back. He was in a rage, and she stood at a distance, watching quietly as he kicked at the tires and cursed, grabbing crates and throwing them around the yard.

"Goddamn son of a bitch" he shouted as his good hand came up and hit at the side of the truck, three times in quick succession.

"Stop!" she called out, as she picked up to a slow jog, approaching him warily.

"Go on little girl," he called out. "I aint in no mood to toy with ya." And he punched at the truck again.

"Hey!" she called out again, as she approached, "Stop it…please." She'd never seen this type or rage before. The only truly angry person she'd ever spent any amount of time with in her entire life had been Daryl, and he usually just stormed off. No one had ever thought of sending her after him…that was Carol's job.

"Goddamn it girl!" he shouted and slammed his prosthetic arm against the driver's side mirror of the old truck, "leave me be!"

The glass shattered, and Beth caught up the final few steps to grab at his arm, "Merle," she cried out, "You're gonna hurt yourself,"

"Think I fuckin care !" he shouted pulling himself roughly out of her grasp, the blade on his arm coming dangerously close to her face. "Get off!" he snarled, as he laid into the truck again.

"Hey," she cried out, "You almost hurt me…do you want to hurt me? Merle!" She snapped. She had backed off, and there was fear in her eyes. She could tell, he wasn't in his head, and she wasn't sure if she could bring him back. He'd almost cut her face open, and he hadn't even batted an eye.

He stopped and glared at her, his jaws clenched together, his breaths coming out in short gasps. "Go on!" he repeated. Get the fuck away little girl, fore I do somethin, I aint ever gonna be able to undo, he thought.

"Dammit Merle," she said softly, "look at your arm…and your hand…" she reached out tentatively and took his large hand between hers. "Your hand's all cut up," she said, "let me see."

"I don't need no help." He spit out at her. Yanking his hand out of her grasp.

"You only have one hand left," she said calmly, "You ought to be taking care of it. Now come on," she held her hand out, palms out, like one would do to an angry dog, "let me see…"

He stared at her long and hard, he could feel the burning in his knuckles, and the tightening in his hand, but he didn't care…he was so pissed off, so damned jacked up…he didn't give a shit about nothing or no one…almost no one. There was Daryl….this was all about Daryl, just remember you old fuck, aint no one here deserves any mind 'cept for Daryl.

"You know," she started, her wide blue eyes set on his unflinching, "you're not the only one who has someone out there today." She paused for a minute and swallowed hard, pushing down a wave of emotions that threatened to overtake her. "My daddy's out there too, he's older, and he only has one leg…he's not half as fit at protecting himself as Daryl…"

"Well, why in the hell do ya think I'm so damn worried!" he snapped. "They sent an ol' goddamn cripple to watch my brother's back!"

She glared at him for a minute. "Screw you !" she choked out, "That's my daddy you're talking about…and if something happens to him…I….I…just…" she turned quickly and started walking off in the direction she had come from.

Screw him and screw Carol. She didn't know how to handle men like this. Carol should have come out here. Lord knows between her ex-husband and Daryl she'd had plenty of experience with jackasses and bastards. And right now, that's exactly how he was behaving. Maybe, everyone was right…maybe what she had been seeing before had been an illusion…what was it they said about the devil's greatest trick?

Goddamn it all to hell. He kicked at the tire again, this damn group was about to give him a heart attack. First they piss him off, an then they gotta send this pretty lil thing out here for him to chew up and spit out. Goddamn It, now she was pissed off, kicking up dirt in her cowboy boots, her slender arms, folded across her middle.

"Hey, " he called out, "Hey, hold up…" what the hell did he say now. "Aint nuthin gonna happen to yer Pops….he's got Daryl with him…"

She stopped briefly and turned her head; "Oh is that why you're out here kicking tires and smashing windows…cause they're so safe?" she glared, before heading off.

Dammit all, he thought, now he's lost his last ally, an' a pretty lil' thing to boot, "Hey," he called out again, "aint ya gonna look at my hand?"

Bath paused, the arms that were folded protectively against her middle were now crossed across her chest. She let out a long slow breath. No matter how much of a jack ass he was being, no matter how pissed off she was…she understood…his hand, it wasn't about medical care, it was about offering up some sort of peace treaty. She realized all at once , why Carol was the only one who could truly handle Daryl, she never asked, demanded or pushed….she just gave him the notion of what ought to be done…then walked away and let him think he'd come up with it all on his own.

She shook her head, wondering slowly, about how those two must have been raised as boys, if they couldn't face a simple apology, an act of kindness…nothing but disdain or indifference found an easy route into their hearts.

"Come on then," she said with a nod of her head, without slowing her gate. "Let's get inside."

Merle breathed in hard and lowered his head. He wasn't no dummy; he knew what she'd done. What so many had attempted in his life and very few had accomplished. She'd managed to diffuse him. He shook his head in wonder, not knowing whether he should be pissed off or amused. Damn little thing was worming her way in, if it wasn't with sweetness, it was with shyness, if it wasn't with that she'd tap in on her looks, when all else failed she acted indifferent and walked away…had she figured him out so dammed soon. Maybe he was more like Daryl than he'd ever cared to believe.

"If that Chinaman says a word to me," he grumbled, as his long heavy strides came up behind her, "I'm gonna kill him."

"His name is Glenn," she huffed softly, "and he's practically my brother…he may be acting like an ass now but…he's still family."

"He aint my family," he snapped. Catching up, and standing behind her, as she pulled the heavy metal door open. He didn't want to admit it, but his hand was throbbing.

"Well," she answered softly, stepping in before him, "not yet anyway."

He paused for a moment, and his eyes narrowed out of instinct. Wasn't usual, he heard that type of talk, especially not after the scene he'd just thrown today; alienated her family, and almost took her damn face off with his knife. Certainly wasn't expecting this type of reaction. "What the hell's that supposed to mean?" he grumbled softly.

"We're all family here." She answered with a slight shrug. That's all she had meant really, but I guess the implications had been clear enough. At least he understood now, that she cared about him, included him, in her heart. "In one way, or another." She added softly.

Those last words that she added, hit him like nuthin had in a while. His head hung a little as he followed her down the long hall, there was somethin happenin inside his chest, somethin he didn't like…a feelin he had learned through years of being an asshole to keep boxed away. He was pretty sure that for the first time in a long, long while he felt slightly ashamed of his behavior.

"Well….I aint." He whispered, not really knowing what else to say.

"You're Daryl's family," she answered firmly, "and he's ours so…" she turned to face him for a moment, and offered a slight smile, "Come on," she motioned with her head, "let's go to Daddy's cell, he keeps all the medical supplies in there."

Damn if that girl wasn't driving it home, he thought with a smirk. Here she was, makin him sit in her Pop's cell, when he hadn't but pretty much called him a useless cripple not ten minutes before. "Ya can take the stuff out," he said, "do it in the main room if'n…"

"No," she cut him off, girl knew exactly what she was doing, "It makes me feel better to be in his cell, you know when he's away…I sit in here sometimes." She led him in, and motioned towards the small table he had in the corner. "Why don't you get on up there, and take that…thing offa your arm, I'll go get us some water."

She left him in there. Girl was making him do penance for his asinine comment about her Pops. Leavin him in here to stare at all of the old man's stuff, thinkin' about how she would feel havin to pack it all up if he didn't come home.

Slowly he started at the straps of his apparatus. There were shards of glass all up inside the thing, that had been a fool move. He'd trashed the truck and his arm…and almost wrecked his damned guard, all for nuthin. And his goddamn knuckles hurt so much, he could barely undo the straps himself, he'd be surprised if he hadn't broken a bone.

Beth came back in silently with a large metal bowl filled with water and a towel draped over her arm. She had Carol coming up behind her with two big water bottles in one arm and a now calmed down Judith in the other. "Sure you're all set?" she asked as she tossed the bottles on the top bunk, giving Merles hand a quick once over.

I can manage; the girl answered, as she walked up to him and draped the towel across his lap, and placed the large bowl on top. "Hold this," she instructed, before reaching for one of the bottles on the bed, and holding it out to him. "Want some?" she asked, "Being angry usually makes me thirsty something awful."

He eyed her warily, and gingerly wrapping his sore hand against the bottle and raising it to his lips. "I usually like the taste of liquor, after I'm good an pissed." He said when he was done, placing the bottle besides him.

"Well, you aren't gonna get any of that," she smiled softly reaching for his wrist, and dunking his hand into the bowl of water, "You're bad enough as it is…last thing we need is to have you drinking."

"Bad enough huh?" he smirked shaking his head. Wouldn't be nothing better than a tall glass of whiskey right about now, he thought

"Wish I had some ice," she said, resting her hand gently on his forearm, and stroking it up and down, "But this'll have to do. Let's leave it in for a soak." She reached and adjusted the bowl, so it sat comfortably on his legs. "Now let me see your other arm." She said reaching for his bandaged stump.

"Aint nuthin wrong there." He mumbled, trying to pull it away.

"Well, except for its covered in glass," she said, "come on, give it here, I'm going to re-wrap it, and make sure there's no glass."

"Come on," he huffed, "I don't need ya messin' with that thing…it's nasty." Christ, the thing was nasty, I mean he'd cauterised it on an old rusty burner…it certainly wasn't gonna sell him none.

"I help my daddy with his leg every night," she said as she took his arm, and began to unwrap it, "and I mean Rick cut that off with a hatchet….there's nothing under here I haven't seen."

Merle sat perfectly still. His lips clamped together, and his face set in stone, and watched in dead silence as she unwrapped his bad arm, washed it clean, drying it gingerly before she re-wrapped it. She then moved on to his good hand, she removed it from the water and dried it gently before applying some antibiotic lotion to his split knuckles. She wrapped it tenderly with light gauze, and then wrapped it with an ace bandage, making sure it wasn't too tight. Then she removed the towel from his lap, and the stacked everything neatly besides him, holding out two pills, and the bottle of water.

He shook his head, "save em," he said. "someone'll need them."

She held the pills up towards his mouth. "You need them," she said gently, "They're anti-inflammatory… and if that hand swells up you aren't gonna be much use to anyone…not even yourself, now open."

He swallowed hard and opened his mouth, his eyes never leaving hers, as her fingers slid first one then the other pill passed his lips. If he hadn't of been such an ass earlier, if he hadn't flown off the handle, maybe he wouldn't be sittin here with a bandaged hand and a pissed off girl, he thought as he raised the water she held out to him towards his lips. Maybe he wouldn't have smashed up his favorite truck. Hell he could've been sittin' out on that back tailgate right now with this angel in his arms. He knew he'd tried to pull the plug on that last night, but with her daddy gone, today might have been the perfect day to just have her in his arms. Instead here he was in her daddy's cell, with a banged up hand, lookin into her disappointed blue eyes. And nuthin he'd done today changed the situation they was in, 'cept for takin one good shooter outta their ranks for a few days.

She took the water from his hands and stood across from him, her hands resting lightly on his knees, "I'm worried about my daddy." She said simply.

He nodded once, "He's got Daryl…he oughta be all right."

She nodded once and kept those wide eyes looking at him.

"Look darlin'," he started uncomfortably, this girl was putting him through the ringer. "I was pissed off before, I shouldn't of said that about yer Pops."

"No," she shook her head, "you shouldn't have. I know he's old…but he's a good man…and he'd do anything to keep your brother safe…"

She was scared. There was no denying it. Her Daddy and Rick and Daryl were out there, and the prison had fallen apart not two minutes after they had left. Carol was angry with Glenn, Maggie was angry with her, and Glenn and Merle, well suffice it to say they probably couldn't be left alone together. If that group didn't make it back, the fight for the role of leader would kill them faster than the Governor would. And if her daddy didn't make it back…she didn't know if she'd survive that.

Merle could see it all. Girl had the most expressive eyes he had ever seen. Was like lookin inside of a window and seeing glimpses of everything that was happenin inside her head. "Hey," he called out softly, reaching out his arm to pull her close, "C'mere."

She stepped right into his embrace, right in between his knees and pressed herself up against his chest. Him sitting, her standing, both his arms bandaged and wrapped around her. She leaned in against him, against the warmth of his wide, solid chest and shut her eyes.

His arms came around her and pulled her even closer, he was practically smothering her, she could feel the solid strength of one of his biceps up behind her neck, and she felt the warmth of his breath against the side of her head. "Don't you worry darlin'," he whispered into the side of her head, "My brother's gonna make sure everyone makes it back all right."

She nodded slightly, she could barely move in the tight hold he had on her, but it felt so good, She hadn't had this feeling in so long she thought to herself, totally warm, and totally safe, hearing only the sounds of a loud steady heart.

She felt him shift for a moment, his arms loosening a bit, and she tilted her head up to find him looking down at her. His eyes were impossibly blue, impossibly clear; they were Daryl's eyes coming from a worn, tired face. "This too tight?" he asked quietly.

"No." she whispered resting her face into his chest again.

"Ya still pissed?" he asked, resting his chin on top of her head.

"A little." She answered.

Fair enough. "Want me to go?" He asked.

"Never." She answered pressing a kiss to his chest. "Never."

He tightened his hold around her again, this time even tighter, and his lips came down to the side of her head. He didn't care that his brother's woman walked by, and peeked inside, he didn't care that he probably had a million other things he should have been doing'. He didn't care about anythin' but holding onto her right then, cause her body…right there in his arms, felt so damn good, he wasn't ever gonna let her go.


	12. Chapter 12

_Hey there, I'm back with another one. I want to apologize to everyone for the long wait. Work has been kickin my ass lately. From now on...I will be updating once a week on Tuesdays. That is the plan. Once again thank you all for the amazing reviews. So many well thought out one's...so amazing to read them all. Thank you. Writing is my dream, and you all are making it a reality. Ok- next does ANYONE wanna help me out with my next chapter ? At least to read it...I'm heading towards some lovin' and I'm just the worst at that sort of thing, PM me if ya think ya can. I try to stay one ahead so its ready to go. Ok...well needless to say, there's not much Meth in this one...but believe me its a slow building fire...and the next one is all them. :))) Hey please don't forget- if ya like it...Review_

**BROKER A TRADE**

For the first time since they had moved into the prison, the group hadn't gathered for dinner. Carol had taken her meal alone in her cell, and so had Merle. Maggie and Glenn had eaten there's up in the tower, while on watch…and Beth had sat tight-lipped besides her father, her large blue eyes fixed on the bowl of food in front of her.

"I haven't seen you and your sister not speaking to one another since you were girls." Herschel had commented nonchalantly to his youngest daughter.

Beth had merely shrugged, "I haven't done anything wrong daddy…she's the one who's not speaking to me."

Herschel had nodded sagely, his hand pausing above his bowl of noodles, his eyes looking down the hall to the older Dixon's cell, before resting on his daughter's. "Maybe she thinks you need…guidance… protection."

"Well, she's wrong." Beth had whispered firmly, before picking up her bowl and standing. "You know daddy," she had whispered softly, hoping the others couldn't hear. "Sometimes unexpected things happen." With that she quietly headed into the comfort of her own cell.

Daryl, had sat on the steps, listening to the exchange among the Greene's he's seen the old man's eyes linger towards his brother's cell and had seen the slow pink blush creep on Beth's cheeks. It hadn't been too hard to put two and two together, that goddamn shit had happened for the better part of his life.

"God dammit!" he muttered under his breath, setting down his plate of noodles and heading down the block towards his brother's cell.

"Care to tell me what the hell happened here today?" Daryl asked, stepping inside, knowing he'd probably do best to ease carefully around the topic of Beth.

Merle shrugged, shoveling the last bite of cold noodles down. With the threat of the governor looming, there hadn't been much time to hunt, they had been resigned to eating pantry items only, and Carol's refusal to cook this evening hadn't helped matters much either.

"Well somethin happened…aint no one eating together, and even Carols all up in a huff, that woman don't ever get ruffled." Daryl continued leaning up against the table in his brother's cell "What'd you do?"

Merle shook his head and frowned, now why in the hell did his little brother always assume he had done somethin wrong. "I didn't do nuthin'….why don't ya ask that Chinese kid….or the farmer's daughter?"

"That what happened to your hand?" Daryl nodded towards his brother's bandaged limb, "a whole lot of nuthin?"

Merle chuckled and took in a long breath, "Hell brother….I spent my day beatin' on some trucks…. figured y'all rather I do that then beat on that Chinese kid again."

Daryl looked at the ground, how in the hell did he ever think this was gonna work out in the first place, "ya break anything?" he asked, nodding towards his brother.

Merle shrugged and held out his hand, he grimaced lightly as he flexed his fingers. "Hurts like a son of a bitch….but that lil darlin' wrapped it up good enough."

Daryl nodded slowly, and flitted his eyes nervously in between his brother and the floor. He knew Merle, and he'd seen Beth at dinner, for Christ sake his brother was old enough to be her daddy, her granddaddy where they came from, what in the hell was he thinkin. "What's goin on there?" he asked quickly, "I seen the way you look at her."

"Pfft," Merle smirked, and folded his arms across his chest, "Lookin and touchin are two different things brother…you of all people should know that."

"What in the hell is that supposed to mean?" Daryl scoffed.

Merle shook his head slowly, "Have ya even laid a finger on that woman of yers….or is lookin all yer good for? Hell boy….when's the last time ya laid yer finger on any woman?"

"Fuck you Merle, she aint my woman." Daryl snapped, "And besides, you best keep yer hands to yourself when it comes to Beth, your bound ta get a bullet in the ass over that one."

Merle laughed, "I'm bound ta get a bullet in my ass over just about every dammed thing I do with this group, so that don't scare me none…and that woman….Carol, maybe you best tell her ya aint interested then…let somebody else move in." He smirked, applying some pressure on his little brother.

"Don't you fuckin worry about Carol?" Daryl snapped, looking up and squaring his shoulders. "you just worry about yerself….an' keepin yer hands outta that one's pants."

"Pfft," Merle shook his head and scowled at his brother. "Y'all got the craziest mother fucker ready to tear these walls down and kill us one by one, and all you can think about is whether or not I keep my dick in my pants….shit brother, what the hell's this group done to you?"

Daryl shrugged uncomfortably. He'd spent most of his life takin' orders from Merle, lookin up to him. Hell, even when he thought he was a useless son of a bitch he looked up to him…Merle was larger than life. But now….Christ , he saw him as he was…a man. He didn't know how to process that, how to wrap his head around the fact that he didn't need to be following' Merle around like a lost puppy any more.

"Ya gonna tell me what went down today brother ?" Merle asked, fixing his eyes on Daryl, "what really went down."

Rick had gone over the details as soon as they'd returned. The Governor wanted them wiped out, there wasn't much more to tell. Much more that Rick wanted told anyhow. He'd made his choice, on who got to know what….Merle wasn't in the loop, wasn't much Daryl could do about that. "Ya heard Rick tell it." He said.

"I want you to tell it." Merle snapped quietly. "I want you to grow a set and tell it to me straight."

Daryl's hand went up to his mouth and he started working on his nail. Dammit, Merle was his brother, he knew Woodbury and he knew that goddamn son of a bitch the Governor, of all people he should know what was goin on, but Rick wouldn't hear of it. He thought Merle was hot headed and only out for himself, that his temper would jeopardize the group's safety and integrity. Daryl was caught up between two loyalties again, and he wasn't quite sure he was willing to take more of this.

"He's willing to broker a trade," he said quietly, his eyes settling on his brother's. "Rick don't want no one to know about it yet."

"Go ahead." Merle nodded. This should be good.

"He wants Michonne." Daryl said, shifting his weight uncomfortably, "He'll let us be if we deliver her."

Merle fixed his eyes on his brother for a minute, before hanging his head back and letting out a long slow smile. That Governor was just a tricky son of a bitch, he wasn't any better than a damn Coyote; he was surprised that his brother couldn't see right through that empty offer. Rick was a dumb ass, crazier than a shit house rat right now, the pressure of leading this rag tag group had cracked him right down the middle…but his brother, and the old man…damn they both had brains left didn't they.

"He aint gonna let y'all be." He drawled out long and slow. "Don't matter none who you deliver. He'll take Michonne an you won't even wanna think of what he'll do to her…bet he's getting set up now… tools and things to keep her goin' while he takes her apart bit by bit." He brought his head back up slowly, and set his eyes on Daryl's cold and unflinching. "Now, I aint particularly a fan of that woman myself brother…but damn that's cold for you all to even be considerin. Not that it would matter anyhow, he'll kill whoever delivers her…he'll be hoping it's me or you… and then he'll take the prison. Aint no human sacrifice gonna stop that brother….you should know better. Best it'll do is buy us a bit of time…gather up ourselves and move on….live to fight another day."

Daryl shifted again and looked down. He knew his brother's knowledge could be counted on. Rick wasn't thinking straight right now, and the group knew it, but he was in a tight spot nonetheless. "Aint nuthin been decided yet." He mumbled.

"That so?" Merle asked sarcastically. "Aint Rick made a decision for the group yet brother? Well I'll tell ya what, officer friendly, he's done decidin' for me. Last decision he made lost me my hand….I'm deciding for myself." He walked across to his brother and stood not two inches away from him. "I'll deliver that woman if y'all want…but I think the best course of action here is to take that mother fucker out ourselves. Let him think we're contemplatin' his offer…then strike when he's unawares."

Daryl shook his head lightly. "That aint the plan Merle, ya can't go against the group on this one." He stepped forward and rested his hand on top of Merle's shoulder, "we gotta stick together." He said hanging his head but setting his eyes up to look at his brother. He wanted Merle to side with him on this one. He had to; there was no taking sides anymore. He wanted his brother, and he needed the group/

Merle shook his head, what the hell kind of pussy move was his brother pulling now. He shrugged Daryl's hand off his shoulder, and scowled, nodding his head up once. "I aint part of yer damn group brother," He said coldly, "I can think for myself."

Daryl watched as his brother turned his back on him and started methodically arranging clips and guns and stacking them neatly besides a small duffel bag on the table.

The conversation was finished. Merle didn't really appreciate his brother coming in all halfcocked and questioning him about the events of the day. He certainly didn't need to be reporting his actions to no one, especially not his baby brother. And he hadn't appreciated being kept out of the loop neither. That officer friendly was about as dense as wet bag o' cement. thinkin he could trade that Samurai Warrior for the freedom of the group. Thinkin' they'd go on as neighbors, livin right down the road from one another, in peaceful harmony. Didn't he know nuthin about treachery and deceit? Didn't he know nuthin about reality?

"Go on now." He said with a nod of his head, without lookin back. Christ sake the way Daryl was actin', boy was liable liable to hug him if he even set eyes on him. Somethin had gotten into his head, some goddamn end of days mood and he was tryin' to reconcile every damn wrong they'd ever had between them….he'd need more than one lifetime to get through that.

He didn't want Daryl hugging him, didn't want him touching him for that matter. There'd been an awful lot of touching and an awful lot of emotions commin his way lately. It wasn't something he was used to dealin with on a good day, much less during a goddamn zombie apocalypse. He didn't see no need to discuss the goddamn ins and outs of every damn thing. But this group Daryl had saddled himself with, they were more than likely gonna talk themselves to death before the governor even got to them.

He wasn't planning on sticking around for that. Went through too dammed much to stay alive in this world they'd been left with to give it all up on account of someone else's insanity. Hell, he'd just found his baby brother again. Found him all grown up, and turned into his own man…he hadn't even gotten the chance to know him again, he wasn't about to lose him. And then there was that girl, and she was nuthin really…but that didn't mean he wanted to see her dead…or worst.

Yeah, so that son of a bitch wanted to broker a trade. He'd have one ready for him alright. He wasn't gonna wait for that pussy ass friendly to make up his mind. He had someone to wake up and he'd be out by first light.


	13. Chapter 13

_Here we go...I'm not the best at this type of thing but... I gave it my best shot. Once again I want to thank all of you who have reviewed. This time around I feel like I got some of the best, longest reviews ever. This story is a journey for me...and all of you are making it possible. Once again anyone who wants to help me along with the smut...because it will eventually come...fell free let me know. I will update every Tuesday if not sooner. Thanks again for all the support. alright y'all R&R. (read and review :)_

**Sleeping Beauty**

Merle knew she'd be dead asleep. He crept on her cell lightly, and stood outside the cell, leaning his shoulder gently against the bars. It was dark, only the faint light coming from a half-moon shone in through those dismal barred windows shed any ounce of light. But he could see her well enough.

She looked like a dream. She was a dream. Aint no way any one as sweet and pure and young could have fallen for him. But she had, and it wasn't a dream, it was reality, a shitty unattainable reality. Even if they managed to kill the governor, even if they managed to survive this useless war, even if they didn't get killed by them damn monsters out there, her daddy and her family they'd never let them be. And never mind the rest of the group, his own dammed brother would just as soon string him up by his balls then let him take up with her.

He knew he could still have her. Hell he could have her tonight, if he wanted to. Take her right here in her cell, not twenty paces away from where her own daddy laid down sleepin. He'd clamp a hand over that sweet little mouth, and take her virginity, keep her hushed up and quiet, and be gone by morning light. If he wanted to, she could be his.

But there wasn't much point in ruining her. She'd never go against her family, go against the group. He was pretty well hated. He'd made his bed pretty good and solid with this group.

Besides, he didn't want a woman. He'd made it forty some odd years without one, he didn't need to be thinkin' about that now. A bed warmer, that he could do with. A nice solid fuck now and again, that would be nice. But this angel, you could see a mile away she wasn't like that, she'd never be like that. She'd wanna be cared for…hell, she'd wanna be _loved_.

He could tell today that she'd fallen for him. The way she'd melted into his arms, the way she'd pressed herself all into him and stood stock still just hoping to disappear. He'd felt the way she'd kissed his chest, all shyness and inexperience, there'd been nuthin of lust in those kisses they'd come straight from her heart. And nuthin had come closer to pushin him away than that, not even the threat her daddy with a twelve gauge. He knew how she felt, and he wasn't the man to handle that sort of thing.

But damn it here he stood right now. Damn near middle of the night, starin' at her like some kind of pervert, or some type of fool. Just because he wasn't the man for her didn't mean, she wasn't beautiful, didn't mean he wasn't wantin to lay eyes on her one last time. To see what maybe could have been.

Most of all, knowin he wasn't the man for her made it all that much more important for him to make sure there'd be enough left of her to find the right man in the future. And if that son of a bitch Governor got a hold of her there'd be nuthin left.

He pushed himself up off the wall and leaned in against the bars for one last glimpse, the door budged slightly under his heft and squeaked

Beth rolled onto her side, and rubbed a hand over her face. "Daddy?" she asked in a whisper.

"It aint yer daddy," he answered softly, "It's me."

She yawned and sat up slightly, "Merle? We got watch?" she asked, she hadn't thought they did, but maybe she'd screwed up.

"Nah Sugar," he rasped out slowly, "I was just walkin by….I saw you sleepin and…"

"Come in…." she cut him off. There was no way she was gonna let him just walk off like that. Not after how she'd felt in his arms today.

He shook his head no. "Better if I don't." he said lightly.

"Just for a minute." She insisted. The way he looked, standing in the dark, the moonlight barely lighting up his worn out features, made her breath catch in her throat.

He looked at her and narrowed his eyes, tryin' to figure out where exactly a proposition like that was gonna go. Hell, he thought, there aint no way the big bad wolf is gonna be scared of little red riding hood, and he stepped inside.

She scooted over and patted the bed besides her, propping herself up on her pillow and crossing her legs. Merle hesitated for a moment an then sat.

She was beautiful, if he'd thought she was a dream before that wasn't nuthin compared to the way she looked now. Big blue eyes open, and dreamy with sleep and desire. Thick blonde hair falling on her shoulders, and a tank top so worn and bare he could see right through it. He swallowed hard and shifted his eyes to the wall. He didn't even think he could handle looking at her just now.

"Why you out walking," she asked, "Your hand keeping you up?"

He held it out in front of him and slowly flexed the fingers open and shut, "It aint so bad….I was just….restless."

"You want me to take a look at it?" She asked, and he could hear the concern in her voice.

It took every ounce of resolve for him to shake his head. "Nah," he whispered, "its late…I best get goin."

She looked at him, and smiled. All she could think about was that she had spent the day buried in those arms. "I wish you'd stay awhile," she said softly, hoping to be in them again.

He fixed his eyes on hers; all he wanted was to touch her. "I shouldn't've come by," he rasped out, "It's late…"

"Oh," she whispered, disappointed. Her hands came out and she started picking at the frayed edges of the blanket on her lap.

He laughed softly and shook his head, "You got no idea do ya?" he asked simply.

She tilted her head and looked up at him, taking everything in, the wide chest in the dirty wife beater, the shoulders and arms. His eyes, bluer than blue with deep lines etched onto their sides, the stubble, the short hair, just starting to curl. He wasn't the only one to know about desire.

"Yeah, I get it." She said shyly, before looking down onto her lap again. "I feel it too you know." her voice was barely above a whisper.

Well fuck it all to hell. Merle raised his hand and scrubbed it hard over his face. He knew he should be leaving, but his body wouldn't budge. He could be dead by morning, he thought, he just couldn't bear to go without a little taste of sugar.

He scooted back until he was resting against the wall behind him, "Why don't ya come on out here," he said, patting the bed "sit beside me a minute."

She swallowed hard, and flipped the blankets off, revealing long smooth legs, in a pair of men's boxers. Before he could change his mind she was out and sitting beside him, pressed right up against his body.

"Christ almighty girl," he said looking her up and down, "ya tryin' ta kill me in that outfit?" The shorts barely covered her ass, and the tank top was practically worn through.

She blushed and elbowed him gently in my ribs, "It's my pajamas." She smiled, "I was sleeping."

He shook his head slowly, and whistled soundlessly through his teeth, "pajamas huh?" he asked.

She smiled, blushing again, and folded her arms across her chest. Her head dipped low, "you're making me feel self-conscious." She said.

"Sugar," he laughed lightly, "That's the last thing you oughta be feelin'." With a body like that, squeezed into that outfit, she should be feeling like a damn porn star he thought.

"Oh yeah," she smiled, leaning up against his arm with a gentle shoulder nudge, "how should I be feeling then, sitting here half dressed with you?"

He looked down at her and lifted his arm, wrapping it around her and pulling her close up against him. "Lemme think," he smirked, "ya should be feelin scared." He laughed.

"Scared?" she pouted softly, "that's the last thing I feel when I'm with you."

"That last thing?" he repeated with his long slow drawl, "I must be losin' my touch."

She shook her head and tucked herself deeper into his side. "You make me feel so…safe."

He looked down at her and nodded slowly, his jaw working as his teeth clenched together. Safe, that's what she saw in him. A ticket to stayin alive is what scum like he and his brother provided in these times, nothing less and nothing more. He had it figured all along.

"…and warm…" she continued breaking his train of thought, and reaching out a hand to lay it on his chest. She could feel his muscles twitch underneath, and the solid steady drumming of his heart.

"…and…worthwhile …" she whispered turning her face and pressing it against his side, hiding herself, "and …alive…" she pressed a soft kiss against him before looking up, her soft blue eyes meeting the cold hard steel of his, "…and…beautiful."

He stared down at her for a minute in a stunned silence. He hadn't been expecting that. A second ago he had been pissed off at her, certain that she was using him for his brawn, and now she had laid it all out in five simple words. How on earth had he managed to make her feel all those things? He wasn't nuthin…wasn't worth nuthin.

He clenched his jaw and unclenched it. He felt two torrential urges building up inside of him. The first, to tear her clothes off and fuck her into frenzy, and the second, to cup her in his hands as gently as if she were a baby bird.

"Christ, darling." He muttered softly as he reached his free hand around her middle to scoop her up onto his lap. "Ya can't be sayin all that."

"Hmmm," she mumbled, settling herself into his arms, her face finding his chest again, and nuzzling into its wide solid warmth. "Its how I feel." She whispered shyly.

Merle closed his eyes and buried his fingers in her blonde hair tugging it back gently so he could fall more easily on her mouth. He started with slow gentle nips, his lips barely biting hers, his tongue brushing slowly across her bottom lip before easing into her mouth, his hand leaving her hair to slide quietly between the hem of her tank top and her skin. And then he tasted her, all of her, diving in again and again, until they were both left gasping for air.

He sank his head back down, and nibbled on the side of her jaw, she gasped, and he rubbed his hard stubble against it before attacking it with his lips. He kissed his way up and down her neck, and brushed his square jaw just centimeters from her nipples before pulling back. The smell of her, the sweet smell of her skin, and the heady scent of her desire almost drove him mad, and he dove into her mouth again, pulling at her bottom lip, covering her whole mouth with his and almost swallowing her whole before pulling off into a slew of soft tender kisses that almost broke her.

And all the while there was his hand, hot and wide and heavy, going around in slow steady circles on her stomach, always just a little bit higher towards her breasts, and dipping a little bit lower into the edge of her shorts. Beth could barely keep herself together. She had one hand gripped onto his wife beater, and the other up the back of his neck, her fingers gently tugging on those little itty bitty curls that were just beginning to grow out.

She was kissing him as best as she knew how, letting her tongue ease into his mouth to tangle with his, pulling back to run her lips across his stubble chin, to draw a line of kisses along his jaw. She had some lust inside of her, she just hadn't learned how to use it…up to now, it had been just sweetness from her, but the things he was doing to her….she was just burning up inside.

On his last pass, his hand settled low along the edge of her shorts, the tips of his fingers just dipping underneath, skimming along the sweet, silky softness of her navel, just barely reaching the edge of the short blonde curls that grew there. She gasped, and almost unbidden, her hand released his shirt and gripped onto his forearm.

He could sense her fear. If there was one thing Merle Dixon could track better than his brother it was women, when they were in a heated state. He eased up his hand a bit and broke their kiss, pulling back to look her in the eye, "ya scared now?" he whispered.

Beth shook her head no, "Nervous," she answered softly, tilting her face up to look at him, "I've never done this before." She added shyly.

This was what she had wanted. What she had asked for really. She knew he was a man, had felt the effects of his desire pressed up firmly against her before, and he had made his intentions perfectly clear. But now that it was happening, or could _possibly_ be happening she was frozen in fear. She'd never even been touched by a man, never had a hand creeping up her shirt while she was lost in a kiss. Her inexperience was staggering, and his experience was overwhelming.

He pulled his hand out of her shirt, and took her by the chin, "Relax," he whispered, "I aint gonna touch nuthin…don't you worry." His eyes were half mast, bedroom eyes. He'd charmed the pants off just about every damn girl in the county with that look, never mind his voice. Somethin to be said for smoking butts since you were twelve, it left you with a rasp that got inside a woman's core and melted her down. Nah, he thought, he wasn't gonna touch this girl tonight, he was gonna skim, just miss the important parts….leave her in a state where she wouldn't be able to get him out of her mind….just in case he did make it back.

Slowly, he slid his hand, back underneath her top. His fingers found their spot inside her shorts, where they began stroking at the very edge of her curls. "Aint gonna go any lower," he whispered into her mouth, "just relax." And his mouth fell back upon hers.

He could have kissed her all night. It had been so long since he'd had a make out session like this. Hell, he could barely remember the last time he'd even put the least bit of effort into kissing a girl. Usually, it had been sort of a perfunctory act, before the shirt and pants came off. His mouth was usually latched onto a nipple, or headed further south.

But this, Christ almighty this was pure sweetness. Just barely touching her, running his fingers along the softest skin, her navel, the underside of those perfect looking little tits….the restraint he was using was enough to drive him mad. And the sounds she was making, it was all sighs and gasps, and the sound of wet on wet when their tongues were coiling against one another.

Beth was in heaven. Nestled in his arms, she could hear him, and smell him and taste him, and she could feel him, all of him pressed up against her, and stroking her. She had tried to stop him once when she felt he was about to head into her pants. She couldn't do that, not two cells down from her daddy, but he'd just reassured her, and she had lost herself in him again.

Slowly, slowly, her hand had unclamped from the back of his wife beater, and begun exploring his chest, the hard muscles bunched and rippled under her inexperienced touch. She wanted to touch him, wanted to feel his skin underneath her fingertips. "Merle," she whispered, as her hand slid up underneath his shirt, and ran across his ribs, "let's lay down."

She had a feeling she couldn't really comprehend, a feeling of needing him to be closer, closer to her physically than he could possibly be.

His blood ran up into boil, and he knew right then and there that if he let her go any further he'd have a hard time stopping himself.

"Hey now," he mumbled, pulling off her mouth just far enough to speak, "ya know that can't be happening' darlin, we talked about that." Damn fucking unbelievable turn of events he thought, must be the fucking end of the world when a gorgeous eighteen year old invites him into her bed and he turns her down.

A bright red flush had spread across her cheeks and chest, and her hand came flying out of his shirt, "I didn't mean…" she stammered out, "I…we don't have to …do anything." She finished softly, unable to meet his eyes.

"Sugar," he drawled out slowly, as he leaned his forehead up against hers, "there aint no way I'd get inside that bed and not do somethin'…" he slid his hand up out of her shorts, and wrapped it around her hip, "I'd do a whole lot of somethin all night long …"

She swallowed hard and closed her eyes. Sudden warmth spread through her body and collected in her middle. She was scared to look at him. "Oh…" she said simply.

"Yeah," he answered gruffly, giving her hip a gentle shake, "matter of fact, I'm havin a hard enough time keepin it under control as it is." He finished, pulling his head back, and resting it on the wall behind him.

Merle inhaled deeply through his nose, and shut his eyes. Yes, indeed, he had the finest piece of pure untouched ass he had ever seen, curled up on his lap, and begging him for more, and he had to let her go. It was gonna take everything he had in him, but he had to let her go.

He had a mission to accomplish in the morning…it wasn't gonna go so well, if he went in halfcocked with images of her sweet little ass engraved in his mind. Then there was her Pops to think about…he'd already gone back on his word…sort of, hadn't taken her cherry but…he was headin in that direction. Not that he really cared to much… he'd pissed plenty of daddy's off in his lifetime he wasn't gonna stop now. But then of course there was Daryl. He'd spent his whole life putting every damn piece of tail before Daryl….and it wasn't gonna happen again.

He knew Beth wasn't a piece of tail. She was an Angel who got caught up with the wrong man. He'd turned up the ol' Dixon charmed and snared himself the most innocent of all creatures. But it didn't matter, not when his baby brother was on the line. Not this time.

He cocked his head to the side and lowered it, so he could meet her eyes. "It can't happen sugar." He said simply. As much as he wanted it to happen, there was just no way.

The embarrassment and disappointment in her eyes almost dislodged him. "I shouldn't have…" she started, unable to finish.

"No sugar…" he mumbled weakly, "I shouldn't have. No point in startin somethin that aint meant to be finished," he leaned his head forward and pressed a kiss to the side of her head, "at least not tonight."

He looked at her, at the blush on her cheeks, her kiss swollen lips, and her mussed up hair. "Come on darlin," he said, picking her up and pulling her off his lap. "Let's get ya to bed."

Beth looked down at her folded hands; a minute ago they had been crawling up under his shirt. She didn't think she'd ever felt quiet so disappointed in her entire life. "You're leaving." She said meekly.

She didn't even know how true those words rang. Come morning he'd be gone. He'd be leavin' her, and his brother and possibly even this here world. He looked at her; he took all of her in…every last beautiful drop. "Yep," he said with a nod of his head. "I'm goin'."

Beth swallowed hard, and nodded. She couldnt even look up.

"Come on darlin'," he continued, as he reached over and pulled at the corner of the sheet, flippin it back. "Get yer pretty little ass in there."

Beth huffed softly with a laugh, she had to hand it to the man, at least he knew how to ease a situation when the tension or embarrassment grew to thick and heavy to bear. She quickly scooted across the bed and slid beneath the covers, "Merle," she whispered, reaching a hand out to place it against his thigh, "Come back."

He fixed his eyes on hers and narrowed them for a second. She didn't know, about Michonne, the deal, the pacts that had been made and broken and rearranged. She didn't know about him, who he was, or what he was about to do. This beautiful young thing, she wasn't lookin at him because of who he had been, she was fallin for him for who he was _now_, and that was the single hardest thing for him to accept. Hope.

"I'll be back sugar." He said softly, before reaching out and taking her hand briefly in his. "Don't you worry, you aint seen the last of me."

_-Thanks R&R ;)_


	14. Chapter 14

_OK, I'm posting early. I got such AMAZING feedback from the last chapter, I just couldn't keep this baby away from all y'all for another day. Thank you so much for ALL the reviews, especially you guys who've been writing the really long ones. I swear, one of these days I'll do the individual shout outs. Real proud of this chapter. First time I've done a lot of action, and it seems to work. I loved it...almost my favorite...please let me know what y'all think. Hey, once again...Thank you !_

**CHANGE OF PLANS**

The car ride was mostly silent, awkward. She had her eyes fixed on his profile, and he didn't say a word. She could see his jaw working, his teeth grinding, and his eyes narrowing now and again. She could practically see the cogs turning inside his head.

These past few weeks at the prison she had gotten a better understanding of how things worked in there. Where once she had thought he was an untamed beast, she now understood, that most of the time, his mind worked with military precision. It was when things slipped out of his control that the beast came out. Times like this, when he could go over facts and plans until bit by bit they fell into the exact order he pictured them in, times like these he was surprisingly calm. Zen like almost.

"So," she sighed, "you got it all worked out huh?"

"Yep." He didn't take his eyes off the road.

He had taken her a couple of hours before dawn. Woken her up with a slap of duct tape across her mouth and the cold hard steel of a blade across her throat. She hadn't even had a chance to think before her hands had been bound and he'd been dragging her across her cell, and out through the block.

Michonne had known better than to fight him. Whatever plan he was ready to execute, she had the feeling the group was going to be behind him on. Neither Rick nor Daryl had been able to look her square in the eye since they'd been back, and that was bound to send shivers down her back. She'd been set up, and ol' Merle, he was simply the delivery boy.

"So you don't mind huh?" She asked quietly

"Mind what?" He rasped out, eyes on the road.

"Being an errand boy?" Years of legal training had taught her to try every door, every possible angel before admitting defeat.

"Pfft," He shook his head, "You don't know nuthin." Damn bitch was trying to get into his head. Purely elementary.

"Just surprised that's all," she continued, unfazed. "Thought you had more balls than that."

Merle turned to look at her, and smirked. "Ya wanna see my balls?" he asked, with a wink. "That can be arranged….up close and personal." He laughed softly, before turning back to the road.

She shook her head slowly, she'd though he was trying to start something with that little blonde girl, and Lord knows she'd fallen head over heels for him. "Trying to set up a Mercy Fuck?" she asked evenly. If she could get him thinking with his dick she'd have a chance.

He turned to look at her, his eyes travelling up the length of her body before heading down again and stopping on her breasts. "Ya, aint my usual flavor," he shrugged, "but if that's what yer lookin for."

She raised her hands, showing him the binding, "I'm looking for freedom." She said between clenched teeth.

"Christ almighty," he laughed out, "and yer willing to fuck me for it are you?" he turned and looked at her again, "what makes you think I'd let you go after?"

"I'd kill you before you even managed to get inside me." She said smiling coldly.

Merle laughed out loud, "I'm already inside you my Nubian queen." He answered.

They road silently for the next mile or so, Merle's eyes on the road again, and hers fixed on him. He was handsome she thought, once you stopped seeing him as a monster, and saw him as a man. Once he shut off his sarcastic, bigoted mouth. He was all hard angels, grey and worn, not an ounce of softness in his features. But she knew there must be something in there, that little girl back at the prison had to have seen something. Unless she'd created something, changed him somehow…tamed him. That would have been overwhelming for anyone, much less a sheltered teenager.

"So," she started again, "You're ready to leave your brother again so soon?"

Merle rolled his eyes. "I'll be back by nightfall." He said with a nod. "Hopefully."

"Hmmm," Michonne tilted her head to the side considering her next move. "And that little blonde?" she asked, "she gonna welcome you back?"

"I could care less." He said without shifting his eyes off the road. He couldn't be cracked.

"You may not," she whispered, "but she sure will." She paused for a moment and set her narrowed eyes on his. "Fool girl's in love with you."

Merle chuckled and shook his head, did she really think he'd go down that easy. "She'll get over it soon enough. Plenty of women been down that road with me before." He said with a smirk, than turned to face her, "didn't take you too long did it?"

She laughed out in disbelief, "You self-righteous prick."

"Come on there gorgeous," he laughed out loud smackin her hard on her thigh, "aint ya got a sense of humor?"

He pulled the car over to the side of the road and turned to face her, reaching out and grasping the wire that bound her hands together. Slowly, slowly he pulled her towards him; eyes narrowed and fixed on hers. He was like a predator, and he loved the fact that he could feel a hint of fear seeping through her despite her efforts to hide it.

"Easy," he whispered, leaning forward, their foreheads almost touching. "Easy there, don't fight me."

Michonne swallowed hard. This was it. She was coiling herself in, waiting to spring, to explode. To fight with everything she had inside of her. His calm soothing voice, and deadly stare, just barely managed to keep her in her seat.

He tightened his hold on her and raised his knife to her side, sensing her disquiet. "The group that went out yesterday," he started calmly, in a low soothing voice, that despite her most earnest efforts reached her all the way to her core, "was offered a little deal…..turn in their Nubian queen, and be allowed to live….freely."

"You're a fool if…" she stared, and he yanked her arms forward harshly.

"Tut, tut, tut," he said shaking his head, "I aint a fool…I know the man aint gonna let them go free. He'll have his fun with you…" he paused, and pursed his lips for a moment, "get a taste of dark meat….take himself an eye or two…."

Michonne swallowed hard. A shiver drifted up her skin, and she shut her eyes. She could feel his breath against her face, and the cold steel of his blade pressed up against her side.

"Then he'll be back." He finished calmly, "He'll kill my baby brother good an slow to draw me out… and I got a pretty good idea what he'll do to that pretty lil' blonde thing . And hell, even though she aint mine, don't think I'd necessarily like to see her split in two. They'll fuck her till there aint nuthin left."

Michonne opened her eyes and found herself staring into his, Cold blue ice, without a hint of humanity left looked at her, until he blinked, and shoving her away settled back into his seat. "So I figured, "he said taking in a deep breath, and shutting his eyes for a moment, "that you wouldn't mind an alternate deal."

She'd never seen a man come so close to the edge of madness and bring himself back so easily. "Speak." She whispered.

Merle nodded slowly. "We go now, before the sun comes up, and I hide out in one of the turbines." Her eyes were set on his. "You turn yaself in, at first light…they aint gonna be expectin ya till noon…but he'll be there, settin up his own ambush. We'll have beat him to it. When he comes out ta get you I'll take them out…one by one."

Michonne shook her head, the plan was decent…but it required a hell of a lot of trust. "And if he shoots me first?"

"Aint gonna happen." He answered. "He wants you alive."

"What if you don't show." She glared.

"I'll be there ahead of you…" he shrugged, "and if I wanted you dead…." The blade pressed up against her.

"What if you just want to deliver me?" she snapped back quickly, "earn yourself some points."

He laughed quietly, "Ya think he'd let me go. After what I done?"

She closed her eyes for a moment and tilted her head back. "What if you miss?" She whispered.

"Aint gonna." Was all he said.

Michonne shut her eyes and breathed in deep; she nodded once slowly and lifted her hands up towards him. Her heart almost seizing when she felt the cold sharp blade slide up between her wrists.

Quickly, she made to pull her hands apart, but she felt the warm steady pressure of his hands atop hers. "Keep em bound up." He said softly. "Ya gotta make em think it's a surrender."

The softness of his voice with the unexpected gentleness of his touch startled her, and she turned to face him, opening her eyes and finding herself just inches from his face. His eyes, up close were remarkable, the clearest blue…the softest hues. "They'll never believe I surrendered myself." She whispered.

"They don't got a choice." He answered with a shrug.

"My sword?" she asked.

"We, stash it there."

"How do I protect myself from walkers?"

"Ya don't"

"And if they get me?"

"They won't." He turned to face the road again. "I'll have yer back."

She swallowed hard. "And, if they take you out?"

His eyes narrowed hard. "I'll die fightin', you'll have yer chance."

She inhaled deeply, and leaned her head against the headrest of the car. "Let's do this." She said through gritted teeth.

The plan had moved as smoothly as Merle had predicted. She had dropped him off about a half a mile down the road, and had waited; sitting in the confines of the old Buick beater they had hotwired until the sun had come up.

She had leaned her head back, and for the first time, since the dead had risen she had prayed for God's intervention. This time, it wasn't the corpses she was fighting, she had long ago figured out that the Lord had no domain over them, it was the living…if he still held any power over the living, she prayed for him to help….her and Merle.

When the sun was up, she hung Merle's white wife beater from the car window, as a flag of surrender and slowly began the drive in.

She hadn't but cracked the car door open when the first rifle was trained on her head. By the time she was standing, bound hands held out before her, there'd been a man with a tight hold on her dreads, and two more surrounding her with guns loaded and cocked.

"Keep her alive." The Governor had shouted. She could hear his voice. But there was no sign of him.

Merle had waited, stowed away. His mind running as smoothly and calmly as a well-oiled machine. He had set up his clips and ammo. His spare weapons were tucked away, and he had found himself the perfect little niche.

He'd been right. The Governor wanted her alive. He was patient. Waiting for the Governor's men to slowly creep out. They'd been setting up a surprise of their own, and now they were all up in a huff. Merle waited until he thought Michonne was close enough to the point where they had stashed her weapon before he let the first bullet fly.

It was easy. Target practice really. For them folks who thought Daryl was a good shot, why they hadn't seen Merle. He was a sharp shooter even before he joined the military. And it was that skill which kept him in there longer than any man with his attitude had a right to last.

The first two had gone down before anyone even noticed what had happened. Number three and four followed quickly, but he had to track them. By then the group had scattered. That bit of brown sugar had rolled herself down across the ground freeing her hands and reaching for her sword, and the forty-five he had left for her. She wasn't much with a gun, but at close range, she could pick 'em off easy.

It was after that, things got hazy. His man Martinez had spotted his direction, and they'd pulled the Governor down in a heap to protect him. Stupid son's of bitches made him a human shield and ran him to cover.

Merle didn't even see the shot that got him. The barrel off his gun got nicked first, and the kickback made him miss his shot. The second bullet grazed his cheek, and he knew his location had been compromised. By the time, he'd moved to his back up spot, they'd been kicking in the door.

Merle got one of them in the chest. Damn teenage boy, they'd sent in to flush him out. The other ones had been more clever, reaching in and hitting him with rubber bullets. It was clear by then; Michonne wasn't the only one they wanted to keep alive. He had a man on his back, while he was going after the other two.

Once his arms were secured the blows started raining down on him. He fought like a bull. But three was too many, and once the guard was wrenched from his arm he was one handed. He took the butt of a rifle hard to the face, and one behind his knees, and then he went down.

It took all he had in him, just to pull his stump free, and try to cover his face and head from the steady stream of kicks that came to his face. His other hand, still bandaged from his injury was stomped on so hard, he was sure they'd shattered every bone into a pulp.

He'd thought he was out of juice until he heard the Governors voice. "Don't kill him!" he'd screamed, as he came striding up. "This one's mine and you find that bitch…" Yeah, he'd thought he was out of juice, but hearing word that Warrior woman was still on the loose gave him one last surge of energy.

He waited till his arms were free, till he heard the scuffling sound of boots, heading out and then the Governor's voice. "I always knew you were a tough son of a bitch Dixon," he'd laughed, "but this time, you really impressed me."

Merle raised his big bruised head slowly, and then lunged one last time for the kill. They grappled on the floor for a bit, but his injuries were too severe. Even being fueled by his rage wasn't enough to compensate, and the Governor fought dirty, Fingers reaching into every wound, and boots finding every broken rib.

"Son of a bitch!" he'd screamed, when his injured hand got stomped on again. For all effective purposes he was hand-less. Victory was an impossibility. The status of his mission had just been switched to suicide, he though, as he went in for the final lunge.

The Governor had sidestepped him easily. With a final shove the giant man had gone tumbling to the ground before him. He gave him one final kick to the ribs before reaching for the gun behind his pants. It was a shame really; he smiled, having to kill such an incredible opponent.

Merle raised his head and stared into the barrel of a gun. He was on his knees, weaponless, it was over.

"Go ahead," he said, spitting out blood, "I aint gonna beg." And he felt himself fly back as the bullet tore through his side.

And then all he saw was blue skies. The brightest blue on a summer day. And he was sittin in the back of an old blue truck, with wooden crates stacked all along the side. His little brother at his side. They could smell the peaches. Crate after crate full of them. "You boys ready?" his granddaddy called out. "You hold on now," and the truck started moving.

He turned his head and looked at Daryl. He was just a boy again. Messy blonde hair and big blue eyes. His skinny bare chest was dribbled with peach juice and he was laughing. "Merle," he screamed, but his mouth was barely moving. "Merle!"

And he just looked into his little brothers eyes and smiled. They were the bluest, blue. Just like a brook, or a stream…or a dream. He shut his eyes and drifted off slowly and all he could think was…. Daryl….Daryl…..Daryl…..

"Merle! Goddamn it Merle!" Daryl shouted from the back of the truck, as Michonne drove. "Fuck Merle hold on!" he cried, and he doubled over onto his brother as he broke into sobs.

_- Please review_


	15. Chapter 15

_Hey - I'm back with Merle's recovery. Y'all knew there was no way i'd let that man die. Thanks so much for the unbelievable reviews. Yes the truck scene at the end just about broke my heart...but there's a bit at the end of this one...somehow it hurts me even more. Thanks again for all the love...and hey y'all read and review._

15- Recovery and despair

By the time they got him into the prison, he was slipping in and out of consciousness. He had lost a fair amount of blood, and his face and body where a mess. Herschel had rushed over with his medical bag immediately, while he called out orders to Carol and Maggie about what supplies they needed to gather.

Daryl had stood back, watching from a distance, scrubbing the back side of his arm roughly across his eyes. "He gonna be alright?" he asked nervously.

"I'll do my best." Herschel had answered, fixing his eyes on the younger Dixon quickly, before returning to the man splayed out in front of him on the table.

The bullet luckily had gotten him in the side, going through and through. If it hadn't been for the deadly shot fired by Michonne, he wouldn't have stood a chance. By the time Daryl had arrived, she had been driving her sword through the governor's remaining eye. Together, they had dragged Merle out, and hauled him into the back of the Ford pick-up that Daryl had driven from the prison.

Between him and Michonne they had killed more than a dozen, not all head wounds, and getting off the premises had been a rough ride for an injured Merle, with the dead turning, and the sound of the battle having drawn walkers for miles. They had been lucky to make it out of there alive.

Merle had suffered the most. Despite the bullet wound having missed all vital organs, he had still lost a significant amount of blood. Not to mention having been thoroughly worked over by the governors men, before even being shot. His injuries were extensive. He was still on dangerous ground.

Carol and Maggie, had wheeled a gurney over, where his body had been transferred, and Herschel had begun, the slow and laborious work, of patching him up and assessing his injuries without the use of any modern medical technologies.

Michonne, had stood quietly, arms folded over her chest, observing. That man's plan had gone off, almost without a hitch. She had seen a different side of him today. She had seen a man, who was willing to give his own life for his brother's survival; survival in a group who barely tolerated his own existence. She pressed her lips together, and occasionally raised a hand to rub it over her own eyes.

And Daryl, he had turned into a boy again. It was almost as if every one of his defense mechanisms that he had spent years perfect had been stripped down, by the sight of his older brother splayed out on that gurney, motionless and bloody. Every once in a while, he would shake his head, and clench his jaw shut, rubbing his hand over his eyes, to wipe away at the stray tears that kept falling. "Goddamn it Merle !" he would shout out, "Don't you go dyin' on me."

Beth had stood far back in the furthest corner of the block. She had seen Merle's, stump dangling from his body as Daryl, Rick and Glenn had hoisted him onto the table. She had seen the trail of blood he left behind, and the lifeless pallor of his bruised and beaten face.

She couldn't face it. She just couldn't. Something inside her just rolled over and she just couldn't even stand. The night before she had been so close to giving herself to him. She had felt as alive as she had ever been since the dead had risen. She had been in his arms, she had felt hope, for the first time in so many months, she had felt hope that she could actually have a life worth living again.

And now, now it was all being taken away again. She had faced so many deaths, her mama, and her brother Sean, Otis and Patricia, and Jimmy….Dale and T Dog and Laurie…. So many people that she cared about had been taken away from her but she couldn't lose him…she couldn't. He hadn't even been hers; he hadn't even begun to be. Everything in her heart, just gave all at once and she rested her head down, and among the frantic commotion and hushed voices she broke down into heart wrenching sobs.

Rick was furious. Something had happened. Dixon had broken rank. This private mission of his, had never been approved, never even been planned.

He didn't know what had happened, what repercussions they would face. Quickly, he dispatched, Glenn and Carl to the towers, before heading over to Michonne and Daryl.

"We got anything to worry about in terms of retaliation here?" he asked nodding his head towards the block.

Michonne inhaled deeply and shook her head. She wasn't sure how she felt about this man any more. She saw a madness in his eyes that he was hardly able to reign in. "Dixon and I took out the major threats."

"The Governor?" he asked setting his eyes on hers.

"Gone." She answered coldly.

"I think we're good for a while." Daryl spoke, his voice cracking, his eyes never leaving his brother.

"So this was…." Rick paused and ran a hand through his greasy hair, "some type of mission gone bad?" he finished, turning to look at her.

Michonne pushed herself from the wall, and stood stock still; "this was an alternative to you delivering me to a murderer." She said quietly, her words barely more than a whisper. "This was Dixon's assurance that his brother would have a chance to live." She finished, turning her back on Rick and heading towards the corner were Beth sat huddled, sobbing into her folded arms.

Michonne stood watching her for a moment, before kneeling down beside her and placing her hand gently on the girl's arm. "He's a strong man." She said quietly to the girl, leaning her head forward. "He'll fight."

After Herschel had finished stitching the bullet wound and wrapping his chest, he had gotten to work on the older Dixon's face. His nose had been broken, the scar he held across the bridge having burst open again. He had one eye swollen shut, and the other needed stitching above the brow. The old man feared he had fractured his cheek bone, as the bruising there was indicative of several strong hits, but once again, without X-rays, it was just a matter of guess work.

As far as his remaining hand went; his ring finger and pinky had been broken. The rest of the fingers luckily were more or less protected from the wrapping his youngest daughter had applied the day before, but they still had been stomped on and bloodied.

Herschel waited until the man had been moved into his cell before approaching his brother. He knew the younger Dixon had been fighting hard to keep control, and Herschel had wanted to pull him aside to speak to him.

"I think he's gonna make it." He stated calmly.

Daryl's head had bowed, and he let out such a choked up sob of relief that he had to wipe his nose against his sleeve.

"I'm not saying he's out of the woods yet." Herschel had continued, placing his hand on Daryl's shoulder and gripping it tightly. "He lost a lot of blood, and he may have a concussion. He's got more breaks and bruises than I'd care to count…but he's strong." He paused for a moment before tugging Daryl a bit closer. "I think he'll pull through son."

"Dumb ass," Daryl snorted, wiping at his eyes again. "Almost got himself killed."

"From what I heard," Herschel mumbled, "he bought us all a little breathing room…sounds pretty smart to me."

Daryl nodded, once quickly, and headed towards his brother's cell, "I'm gonna go get him cleaned up." He muttered, he didn't like the notion of his brother being sprawled out half naked and covered in blood like some kind of animal. He knew he'd hate it himself, even if he was tucked away in a cell, he didn't like his brother being set out like that.

Herschel stretched out quietly, and cracked his back. He could see his youngest daughter, still huddled down in the far end of the block, and for the first time in his life, he didn't want to go and comfort her. He knew his words, his thoughts and hopes and desires would do nothing but hurt her even more.

He had seen her face crumble, as Dixon had been wheeled in. He had heard her heart wrenching sobs, and he knew, clear as day that she had fallen. Despite his most earnest efforts he had lost his little girl. And he stood there now, watching her pain, and he knew he had nothing to offer her. No one did, and no one would. This….idea she had of that man…this concept that had formed in her head… in her heart... he wanted nothing more than to squelch it. To extinguish it. To destroy it.

He felt the warm and feathery touch of a hand along his neck, "Go talk to her." Carol whispered gently.

"I have nothing to say." He answered. His eyes on the ground. How could he be expected to hurt his daughter like that ? Or to support such an immoral union ?

"You have everything to say Herschel," Carol pleaded, bringing her face closer to his ear. "You're her father, she's hurting so much…she's in pain and there's no one here for her."

The old man's eyes filled with tears as he regarded his daughter. "I can't support what she wants Carol." He said softly, "I can't."

"You can support her." Carol answered, pressing her lips gently to his cheek, before pushing him along.

Herschel hesitated, then swallowed hard, before limping slowly across the room. Oh Beth, he thought to himself as he approached the still whimpering girl, what have you done ?

He leaned against the wall and slowly lowered himself down to be sitting beside her. "Bethy …" he started, uncertain.

That was all it took. "Oh daddy," she sobbed as she flung herself into his arms. "Oh daddy, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry."

Those words brought tears to the old man's eyes. There he had been, watching her in all her pain, avoiding her, wanting to chastise her…. And here her first words were of an apology to him. "Bethy darling," he muttered, "You have nothing to be sorry for. You've done nothing wrong."

She took, a deep wavering breath, and pressed her crying face into his neck. "I fell in love with him daddy." She sobbed. "I'm sorry."

Those words hit him like a knife through his heart. They cut him in half. "Beth…." He started stricken.

"I didn't mean to daddy," she sobbed into his shirt, "I know you don't like him…I know you don't want this for me….it just happened….and now you…and Maggie…I've hurt everyone so much…" she cried.

From across the room Carol heard the girl's broken speech, and she had to bite her own lip to keep from crying. She stopped her cleaning, and organizing of the supplies, and drifted off to find Daryl. She knew how she felt about Daryl, and she couldn't bear to hear so much heartbreak.

"Bethy," Herschel started again, his hand coming up to cup the back of his daughter's head. "You haven't hurt me…or your sister…we only want what's best for you. What makes you happy?"

"He makes me happy." She whispered, pulling her head back to look into her father's eyes.

Herschel leaned forward and pulled her into his arms again, not being able to face her wide blue eyes when he spoke the next set of words to her. "Honey," he started, "right now…in these times it's easy to… get confused; to mix up feelings of comfort, of security with something…deeper." He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, "I can understand what you think you may see in that man…."

"I know what I see in him daddy." She said quietly, against his shirt.

He held onto her tighter. "Beth…" he started again.

"Daddy," she said pulling herself out of his arms so she could look at him again. "I love you, and I'll never go against your word. Not on this," she closed her eyes and fought the tears that threatened to start spilling out again. "Not on anything. I love that man daddy," she said softly, "but if you say no…then it will be no."

Herschel pulled his daughter to him again. He felt a pain so deep inside his heart; he feared he was having a stroke. He loved her, he loved her with all his heart, and in his life he wanted nothing other than her safety and her happiness, but this…this he could not give. "I can't Beth," he said, his voice cracking, "I can't."

They stayed like that holding one another for a few more minutes. Beth sobbed silently into her father's shirt before pulling herself together and wiping her eyes. She loved her father. In this world she had nothing left but family. Her father, and her sister were everything to her, everything. NO matter the pain, she would never go against his word.

Slowly she unwrapped herself from his arms and stood. She looked at him and offered a small smile before holding out her hand to him. He clasped it, and hoisted himself up against her slender frame.

"I love you daddy." She whispered, leaning forward to kiss him on the cheek.

"I'm sorry." He whispered, as he tucked the crutches under his arms and paused to look at her.

Beth nodded, she knew how much denying her hurt her father, and she tucked her arm around his waist and looked at him, "I know you are." She said as they began walking away.


	16. Chapter 16

_Hey y'all. I wanted to thank all of you for the most amazing reviews, especially you guests...you leave the longest most well thought out reviews anyone could ever hope to get. Thank you to all of you. I hope y'all are liking this, I did get some criticism in regards to Beth's decision to stick by her father's word. I'm sorry...I just think she would, she's so young...and so sheltered, Herschel has kept her so close to him, I just dont think she would go against basically everyone to "chase" a much older, very controversial man she has known for such a brief time. Anyhow, back to this...hope y'all like it...its the best I can do. And as always...read and review !_

Day by Day

Merle came to later that night. His first word was "Daryl", he rasped it out softly before his eyes even opened, and when they did he found his brother at his side.

He closed them again and swallowed hard. He remembered facing the wrong end of a barrel, but somethin must've happened, cause unless he had gone straight to hell, he wouldn't be in the amount of pain he was in.

He remembered being a kid again, and being with Daryl. He closed his one good eye again and drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

When he came to again Daryl was still there, he raised his bruised hand and Daryl took it in between his own. "M'I alive?" he croaked out.

"Barely," Daryl answered, trying to keep the gruffness out of his voice.

"He dead?" Merle rasped, his eyes shutting slowly.

"Yeah…," Daryl answered, lowering his brother's hand and resting it across his chest. "Almost got yerself killed goin' off like that."

"Yer safe." Merle mumbled before he drifted off again.

For the first couple of days, mostly all he had done was drift in and out of a fitful sleep. He knew they must've been givin him some of the good stuff through that IV, because he'd never been one to sleep more than a few hours at a time. As far as the pain went, they weren't givin' him enough to make him feel good, but the edge had sure been taken off. All he'd felt was a dull hammering ache all throughout his body.

He knew from the way his face felt, the heaviness in his eyes and in his chest that he'd been worked over but good. He knew more or less what had gone down; Michonne had killed the Governor, fired the shot that had ultimately saved his life, and killed that son of a bitch all at once.

Slowly bits and pieces had started drifting back to him. He remembered most of his kills, and for the most part they had been solid. The major threats had been eliminated, and unless Woodbury had managed to recruit a whole new army in the few short weeks that he had been gone, the damage him and Michonne had cause would be substantial enough to cease any further threat.

As far as his recovery went, it was a bitch. The first day or so, he was so sore and out of it that Daryl had to practically hold his dick while he pissed in bottle. Being one handed didn't help matters, but hell it was still humiliating.

For the most part he lay in his bed. His visitors were always either his brother or his brother's woman. She came in at least a couple of times a day to bring him fresh water, and whatever food she thought he could handle. She sat by his bed when she stopped by and pressed a cool towel, on his face, letting it soak and ease the bruising. She would unwrap his hand and place it gently in a cool bowl of water, always quiet, always gentle.

At first he tried to fight the sleep. Kept his one good eye trained on the door. He was waitin' for her; there was no denyin' it, not even to himself. He was expectin' her, her clear blue eyes, her shy smile, her soft and caring touch. She never showed, didn't even walk by the damn door to look inside. He was like an animal in a cage. Everythin' about himself felt that way.

There wasn't anythin' left inside of him to feel with. He didn't know nuthin' about that kinda pain, didn't understand it. He only knew about physical pain, about split knuckles, and broken bones, and bein' knocked down so hard ya couldn't even begin to stagger to yer feet. He didn't know about what someone could feel deep inside, he'd shut that all out years and years ago. Cept for Daryl, there was no one worth feelin nuthin for. Now suddenly this girl was come and gone. His chest felt blown apart.

By the end of that first day, he knew she wasn't commin. He turned his face away from that door and shut his good eye. He didn't need to shut anythin' down inside of himself, he'd done that years ago.

The old man came by at least once a day as well. He'd check the IV. And poke and poke and prod around, until Merle would have to close his eye and press his lips together in a thin line. "Just trying to see if your cheek bone's broken," he would mumble, or "I'm sorry son, just checking for signs of internal bleeding."

Merle never answered and never showed a sign of pain other than gritting his teeth.

On the third day the last Samurai showed. She walked quietly in the room and after checking to see if he was awake she had sat cross legged on top of the little fixed desk across from his bunk, and opened a small and worn out book.

"The great fish moved silently through the night water, propelled by short sweeps of its crescent tail." She began her voice smooth and calm.

He raised his head and looked at her, narrowing his one good eye. "What the hell ya doin?" he asked.

"Reading" she answered briefly, before resuming, "the mouth was open just enough to permit a rush of water over the gills."

He lowered his head and closed his eye, listening to soothing cadence off her voice. "What the hell ya reading," he asked without opening his eye. "Jaws?"

She paused for a moment, without lowering the book. A week ago she would have been surprised that he had ever read a book, much less that he'd be able to quote one. "Yes."

He inhaled deeply, "one of my favorites."

She smiled, fingering the frayed pages, "mine too, that shark is a formidable opponent."

He let out a long slow breath. "so are you" he said softly, thinking about the woman who saved his life, the one he had shot, and very nearly killed just a few short weeks ago.

She nodded once and smiled, before raising the book and starting from the beginning.

By the fourth day he was up and walking. Daryl helped him to the showers, where he let the ice cold water run over his aching body. His face was still too swollen, and bruised for a shave, but he still felt like a new man. Together they headed to the main room, where he laid eyes on Beth for the first time since he'd returned. She stood rocking the baby, and even from a distance he could see, the deep dark circles under her eyes, and pallor in her face. She looked up and smiled at him, her eyes glowing briefly, before they took on a hint of sadness.

"Mornin' Sugar." He called out to her with a nod. He knew that something had happened between them. Maybe her daddy had gotten to her, or maybe she'd come to her senses. Maybe she'd realized that she had chosen a monster, and decided to back off. Or maybe it was just the filament that had held them together had just been stretched too far and snapped. Either way, it didn't matter none to him. He made sure of that.

"Merle." She said softly, rocking the baby from side to side and setting her eyes on his. "I'm so glad you're feeling better."

Her heart was breaking. She was sure of it. If these past four days hadn't been bad enough, this moment, this single moment of setting her eyes on his had actually fractured her heart in two. She missed him so much, and now seeing him, and knowing she couldn't have him was more than she could handle. She grabbed Judith's bottle and retreated up the stairs and into her own cell.

Merle walked over to the small window, and tilted his face up towards the sun. He hadn't been outside since they'd brought him back to this damn tomb, and the feeling of the warm light on his face felt good. "What happened to her?" he asked his brother softly. He knew he wouldn't have to elaborate with Daryl.

"Pfft," Daryl shook his head, "she aint been right since you got back."

Merle shut his eye to the light, and nodded. He didn't feel right either. Somethin was gone and he didn't like the feel of it. He had too much pain, in and around his chest, too even begin to add to it. Seein' her walk away from him felt like he was getting shot all over again. He stood stock silent and still with his face in that small patch of sunlight for a few moments before heading back into his cell. He didn't come out again that day.

That evening, after dinner the old man went in his cell to check on him. This time Merle sat up on the edge of the desk, and let Herschel check his wounds that way. He kept his eyes focused on the bunks across the cell as the man gently prodded at his cheek bone. The swelling had finally gone down enough for him to get his eye open, but his vision had been blurred.

"How's your vision out of this eye son?" Herschel asked gently, as he shined a small light into offending eye.

"Aint good." Merle answered curtly.

Herschel looked from eye to eye, then leaned in closer and pressed down gently on the bruised cheek bone. Merle took a sharp intake of breath, and clenched his jaw. "I think you may have fractured your cheek bone." He said softly, shutting off the light and placing it in his pocket. "And as far as the blurred vision, I expect it will clear in time, you have a lot of broken blood vessels in there, once the blood gets reabsorbed I expect your vision will return to normal."

"How long till I'm good to go?" Merle asked quietly.

Herschel inhaled deeply, and paused looking at the battered man across from him. Good to go, he thought, was that an expression or was Dixon fixing to leave "I'd say a month at least, if you plan on taking an extended trip, for now I'd stick around the block, maybe the yard by the end of the week."

Ever since he'd put an end to his contact with Beth, the man had been more silent and remote than ever before. Herschel knew he was angry, possibly even upset, but it didn't matter, his daughter, his Bethy was precious, she wasn't meant for a man like Dixon.

"That was quite a risk you took, going out there with just Michonne," Herschel said, as he gathered his few medical supplies and placed them into his battered bag. "You almost lost your life…. And you saved all of ours."

Dixon had nodded silently, and without looking the man in the eye, he had risen painfully and walked across the room to his bunk.

Herschel started towards the door, and then paused for a moment, turning to rest his eyes on the man's broad back. "Do we need to discuss my daughter?" he asked quietly.

"We aint got nuthin' to discuss." Merle answered, without turning around.

Herschel inhaled slowly, what Dixon had done had been courageous, a selfless act, committed by a man who loved his brother. He hated, that his actions now had caused a rift between them that would surely never be bridged. "Do you have anything you'd like to say to me?" he ventured.

"I'm tired." Dixon answered, as he lowered himself slowly onto his bunk. "And I'm done talkin to ya."

Herschel watched as the man lowered himself slowly down, and shut his eyes. It was clear the conversation was over, and probably most conversations that the future may have held for them were now over. He liked Dixon, he was an interesting man, an enigma, a loyal warrior trapped inside a gruff exterior. He had liked Dixon, but not for Bethy….never for Bethy.

On day five Merle got a visit from young Grimes. He'd knocked once on the cell door before stepping inside.

Merle was laying on his back, with his eyes open, staring at the bunk above him.

"I wanted to say…." He started, nervously fidgeting with his hands. "What you did….it probably saved all our lives." He looked down and swallowed. By this time Merle had opened his eyes, and turned to face the boy. "I don't…I don't know if anyone's thanked you yet but….well…thank you."

Merle nodded once, "You're welcome kid." He rasped out, before shutting his eyes. He lay, waiting to hear the sounds of footsteps leaving, but when he heard none he opened his eyes. The kid was still there, what in the hell did he want he wondered.

"And like…you weren't getting' treated very well here. I mean my dad, and Glenn." Carl paused for a moment and looked up at Merle, "I'm making my own choices now and…next time…if there is one… you can…you can count on me."

Merle narrowed his eyes for a moment, before nodding slowly. Hell, sounded like young Grimes was crossing over to the dark side. "Ya got my back now do ya?" he asked the boy.

Carl shifted uncomfortably, under the older man's glare; something about him was so unsettling. He pulled his hat off and held it in his hands. "Yeah," he mumbled, "I do…I know I'm just a kid but…I know how to handle a gun."

"Oh I know." Merle answered slowly, stretching out his southern drawl as far as he could. "I'll keep that in mind boy."

"Me, you, Daryl and Michonne," Carl grinned a little, "We'd make a pretty bad ass team."

"Yeah we would." Merle laughed softly. "We would."

Carl fidgeted a little and walked towards the door. He knew his dad hated Dixon. He'd been so different back at the quarry. He hadn't known back then, but he'd been on drugs. He's heard Daryl and the others talk about it, using words like "jacked up" and "iced". He'd been so happy to get his father back from that Atlanta run. He'd never even thought of how Dryly must've felt. They'd traded Merle in for his dad essentially. And Shane, he'd gotten all into Daryl's face about it too, about how Merle had been scum. All the while he'd been sleeping with his mom, and Carl hadn't even known it. He hadn't known about drugs or sex, or being a traitor or doing what's right for someone you love.

Then Glenn had come back beaten to a pulp. Once again, the vote had been thrown against Dixon. Then Carl heard talk, mumbled words from Carol and Beth mostly, about how Glenn wouldn't tell him where Daryl was. He had a sister now; family in these times was precious. If he was all grown up, and someone was keeping Judith away from him, he didn't know what he'd do, but he was pretty sure it would involve an ass kicking.

Daryl, he was as close to a brother as he was ever gonna have. And Merle, he'd looked out for him from the start, he guessed. It didn't seem like those two had ever had much other than themselves. And even now, at the bitter end, after everyone had been so hard against him, he did what he did for Daryl. Carl knew he didn't know the whole story. The group still treated him like kid most times. But one thing he had learned was that sometimes good looked like evil, and that evil could hide real well inside of good. He was done listenin' to others when it came to Merle Dixon. He'd make up his own mind for now.

"Hey," he called out as he headed out the door, "I'm glad ya made it back."

Merle shut his eyes, and nodded once. He wouldn't be stickin' around here too long.

That night his brother came in, with two bowls of soup. "Ya gonna eat all yer meals in here now ?" Merle asked caustically without getting up.

Daryl shrugged and sat on the floor leaning up against the wall. "Ya aint been commin out to eat with the group."

Merle huffed and shut his eyes. "That aint my group brother." He rasped out slowly.

"Bullshit," Daryl shook his head. "Aint no one out there got a problem with you no more. Not after what you done."

"Pfft," Merle said, "Is that right?" He turned to face Daryl, and raised an eyebrow skeptically.

"Christ Merle," Daryl said in between mouthfulls, "I don't care what no one thinks, I'm just glad I got my brother back."

Merle opened his eyes for a minute and looked at Daryl. His baby brother, all grown up into a man. Hell, for a minute there, when he'd been driftin' in an' out he'd thought he was a boy again. He remembered havin' seen Daryl and their granddad, and he'd thought to himself, good, I finally got me another chance to do right by that boy. Then everything had slipped away, he'd seen that smilin' boy disappear and all there'd been was darkness.

Ever since he'd come too Daryl'd been by his side. Helped him piss, and shower, an eat. And he'd had nuthin to say to him. Couldn't look him in the eye and tell him, I did this all for you brother, and I do it again, couldn't let him know that all he'd thought about this entire year was getting him back. And now Daryl sat there scoopin soup into his mouth and sayin everything he'd wanted to say just like it was nuthin.

He pushed himself slowly up to a sittin' position, and reached out, accepting his bowl, and fixing his eyes hard on Daryl's .He said all he could say, all he'd ever fucking said, and as usual, he hoped it was enough. "Once again brother," he whispered in a long slow rasp, "it's just me and you…just like it always was."


	17. Chapter 17

_Hey everyone I'm back. First off my most sincere apologies for being delayed with this chapter. Work has been crazy...and I just had the hardest time with this one. Trying to balance everyone's ideas with my own...its hard. Anyhow...its transitions...those happen. Next I want to thank all of you who reviewed, especially the guest who send the longest most poignant reviews ever. Thank you... and now onward...anyone who wants to help out with my next chapter...the biggie...please PM .I hope you all enjoy this one, It was rewritten about a million times ! And if you do...hey review !_

Broken hearts

The next afternoon Daryl ventured out into the yard where he found Beth by that old damned truck his stupid brother liked so much. She was picking up the crates he had thrown around, and she was stacking them neatly in the back of the bed. He saw that she had already picked up all the broken glass from the mirror and rolled up the tarp that was spread across the back.

"Watcha doin' to this ol' piece of junk." He asked as he approached.

"Oh," she paused and dried her hands up along the side of her jeans. It was hot out, and she'd broken into a sweat. "I was just fixing up this old truck. Your brother really did a number on it that day."

Daryl shook his head. "Let him do it." He snorted, "dumb ass gotta learn to stop blowin his stack."

Beth shrugged. "I don't mind. I know he loves this old thing."

Daryl, set his crossbow down on the tailgate, and started picking up a couple of the crates, besides her. "He does." He said as he worked alongside her. "Our Granddaddy used to have a truck exactly like this ol' piece a' shit, used to take me an' Merle out pickin' peaches with him when we were kids."

Beth leaned up against the tailgate. "Maybe that's why he likes it so much." She said softly.

"Pfft," Daryl smirked. "Merle aint that sentimental." He picked up the last two crates and set them on the tailgate leaning up beside her.

"I don't know." She shrugged, "I just wanted to set it up for when he got better, in case he wanted to come out here." She loved this spot as well, it was the first place he had held her. The first time she had felt his lips against her hair. She smiled softly up at Daryl and sighed, she missed Merle so much, just being near this truck made her heart ache.

Daryl knew something must've happened between her and his brother. Damn girl had been all smiles, following him around like a lost puppy 'for he went off, and now she hadn't even set foot near his cell. She'd cried her eyes out when they'd brought him in. And now, Christ almighty she looked as if she hadn't eaten or slept all week. But hell, he'd barely said more than two words to her the whole past year; he didn't know how to start. He walked to the side of the truck and started shifting the crates around. "Somethin happen between you two?" he asked, without lookin' at her.

She pushed herself off and got to the other side, stacking the crates like he was. "No," she said softly. Not knowing what to say. She barely knew Daryl, but he was Merle's brother, and she thought maybe he should know. "Daddy just didn't want me…spending so much time with him."

Daryl looked across from her, and caught her eye. He knew damn well what _spending time _meant to Merle, "he didn't do nuthin did he?" he asked quickly, without looking away. His clear blue eyes fixed on hers and narrowed for a bit.

Beth's cheeks turned bright red. It embarrassed her that Daryl would be thinking about the kinds of things her and Merle had almost done. "No," she whispered, "he wasn't like that."

"Good," Daryl broke eye contact and stacked the last of the crates. "Herschel's right on this one." He said sternly, for no particular reason. "Merle… he aint the right man for you."

He quickly walked to the side of the truck, and picked up his crossbow. "You done out here?" he asked. "Aint so sure you should be out here alone." He just wanted to get rid of her basically. He'd never had this type of talk with a woman before and it had made him feel uncomfortable as hell. Not to mention, like a bit of a traitor towards Merle. He knew his brother had started some sort of somethin' with this girl, but for Christ sake she was just a kid.

Beth nodded quietly, and grabbed her water. One thing she had been taught was to respect her elders, and besides, Daryl had always made her more than a bit nervous. "Ok," she said as she turned and started walking towards the block.

Then something inside her cracked. She was a grown woman, but she had to let everyone make her choices and her decisions for her. She had to keep her head down, and her mouth shut while she died a little bit more on the inside every day. It just wasn't right.

"Hey Daryl," she called out softly a she turned to face him. "Sometimes I'm not so sure my daddy's right." Daryl turned to face her and she could see that his face was frozen in surprise. "I miss your brother so much," she continued. "I just can't get him out of my heart, and I haven't felt right since I've stopped being near him."

Daryl stopped; he didn't know what to say. Damn girl had fallen for that dumbass, and her daddy had pulled the plug. Not much more to be said about that. He nodded quickly and headed in the opposite direction. He'd never dealt with that type of shit before, and he wasn't about to start now. Besides there wasn't much left to be done, his brother was the type of man that sent daddy's out for their shotguns when he came callin' and that was in the best of circumstances. Hell now, during the end of days, someone so pure and gentle like Beth, she was the last thing ya'd wanna hand over to a man like Merle.

Beth lowered her head and walked back inside the block. She spent the rest of the day taking care of Judith and helping Carol with dinner. But when it had been time to eat, and she had seen Daryl head off in the direction of Merle's cell with two bowls in his hands, she had simply ducked her head down and headed up into her cell.

She hadn't eaten in almost two days. Whatever had broken inside of her heart had leaked out into her stomach and she could barely even think of food. Mostly she had just pushed it around her plate in hopes of avoiding any more glares from Maggie, or another talk from her father.

She sat up in the corner of her bed and drew her knees up to her chest hugging them until she fell asleep.

On the seventh day she didn't leave her cell at all other than to go to the bathroom. Maggie had come in to talk to her, but she had just closed her eyes and asked her quietly if she could go.

Her sister hated Dixon, hated that he'd had any effect on her to begin with. There wasn't anything that she could have said or done to make her feel better. In fact, the disdain she felt for the man had come rolling off her in waves and that had upset her even more.

It was midafternoon when they sent Carol in. Beth was lying curled up on her side facing the wall, and Carol sat beside her on the bunk.

"I Know how you feel sweetheart," she said softly, as she reached out and tucked a stray strand behind the girl's ear. She thought, if Sophia had lived she would be doing this for her one day.

"No one knows how I feel." Beth choked out silently. Everything inside of her hurt and she could barely move.

"Honey," Carol soothed as she rubbed the girl's back gently. "Every one of us has had a broken heart."

"It's different." Beth whispered. "He's different."

Carol stilled her hand. How do you tell a girl that your own hearts been slowly crumbling for the length of this entire year, over a very similar man, when you haven't been brave enough to face those emotions yourself. "Oh Beth honey," she said, "I know all about falling for a Dixon."

Beth hugged her knees and pulled them close to her chest. "But you don't have someone telling you to stay away." She said softly. "I have to make the choice between killing my daddy or killing myself."

"You're not killing anyone." Carol reassured, a bit worried by the young woman's choice of words. No one had ever really forgotten her suicide attempt back at the farm, though it seemed entire lifetimes ago.

"I feel like I'm dying Carol," Beth sobbed, "my heart hurts so much."

Carol stayed inside the cell rubbing Beth's back still early evening, and then she stepped out to find Herschel.

"She's hurting, Herschel." She said softly, as she walked into the common room to find him alone, and bent over his bible.

"I wish I could do something to ease her pain" He said, without looking up. "But I can't."

Carol reached out and placed her hand gently on Herschel's arm. "You could give her your blessing." She suggested softly.

Herschel looked up and shut his bible. "Give her my blessing?" he asked slowly, "Beth is a child, and she doesn't understand what she's asking…what she's wanting. She sees that man, and she sees what's in her mind….what she wants to see, what she wants to believe."

Carol pressed her lips together and gave Herschel arm a gentle tug before pulling back. "Beth is a woman," she sighed, "she's all grown up Herschel, and she knows what she wants. She knows what she sees in Merle….or what she thinks she sees, it doesn't matter," she shook her head desperately, " She wants him….and she needs you to …understand."

The old man looked down and closed his eyes, "I can't…." He said softly, "I can't let my little girl slip away like that. I've done too much to protect her, to keep her safe….to ensure that she has a life worth living… despite all of this."

Carol nodded once, and stood. She understood her friend. Merle Dixon was a hard pill to swallow. He was more than twice Beth's age and about as rough and coarse, as she was gentle. "Oh Herschel," she said softly as she placed a hand on her friend's shoulder, "I'm afraid she's slipped away already…and the harder you hold on…the further she'll go."

From the corner Michonne, watched the two dear friends speaking. They hadn't heard her come in, hadn't seen her lurking quietly in the shadows. Too much time spent in good company and within the safe confines of the prison had dampened the group's ability to hear her quiet approach.

She felt for the older Dixon, it surprised her to feel this way, but it was true. Sure, he was a hateful, abrasive fucker…but in these past few weeks she had come to see that the man had depths inside of him that had not been seen by others in years, decades probably. He held a part of him so well hidden, wrapped so tightly deep within him, that it was imperceptible to the naked eye.

He was smart, and cunning, and he could go into of state of such well measured calmness, that you couldn't even begin to get your head around the way he felt. And he had feelings, not just hatred, and anger and disdain, she could tell, regardless of how he tried to hide it that what he felt for his younger brother wasn't just Dixon loyalty it was love, an intense sense of over protective brotherly love, that even he was scared to accept. And she had a feeling, that deep down inside of him, he had those feelings towards the youngest Greene as well.

"You know," she said quietly, with a monotone disinterested tone, as she came up behind them, "when I first came upon Dixon in Woodbury, I thought he was a monster. He was cold as ice, dead calm, he followed his orders from that sociopath with such military precision I questioned his sanity."

Both Carol, and Herschel turned their heads up to face her, she knew that this was the last thing they'd been expecting to hear, after what he'd done people usually offered praise or acted indifferent towards the man.

"but I observed him," she continued, as she turned her head on the duo, and headed to the corner, to where the water was stored, "and I realized, there's more to that man then we may ever know." She poured herself a glass, then turned to face them. "I wouldn't underestimate him, in any way…not ever."

She nodded her head once, and water in hand began heading towards her cell.

"Michonne," Herschel called out softly, "I know the man is intelligent, more so than he will ever show. And believe me, there isn't a person here who would question his loyalty and love towards his brother…"

Michonne turned briefly, and fixed her eyes on the man. She knew his daughter was young, in a perfect world, far too young for a man like Dixon, but that world was gone… "I wasn't talking about his feelings towards his brother." She said calmly. "You know when I was in the car with him, on the way to the ambush, there was only one other person he had on his mind besides Daryl." She nodded once, and turned her back to them. "Once again, don't underestimate him. "She called out as she walked away.

Herschel took in a deep breath, and nodded. It was time to face his little girl. Perhaps old rules and old ideals didn't have the same place in this new world… perhaps his steadfast manner wouldn't do with someone as gentle as Beth. He knew, without a doubt, that regardless of his views on the current situation, right now his little girl was suffering…and he was the cause.

When Herschel walked into the cell he found Beth curled up on her side, hugging her knees, and his heart nearly broke in two. He had done this to her.

"Beth angel," he started, "come on out and have some supper with me, it's not healthy to skip all your meals like this."

"I don't feel good daddy." She whispered without turning.

He hobbled over and lowered himself on the bed besides her. "Come on Angel; sit up beside me for a minute." He watched as she sat up and came to sit up beside him, her bare legs hanging over the side of the bed, her body leaning up against his. "I feel so guilty Beth," he started out slowly, "a father can't help but want what's best for his daughter…. But seeing you like this….wondering how I must have made you feel…."

"Oh daddy," she sighed, "nothing would ever make me stop loving you. I know exactly why you did what you did." She stopped for a moment and breathed in deep, "I just…I had finally found some…I don't know…some…hope." She stopped for a moment and took in a shaky breath, "and now…it's all gone…it's all gone."

Herschel shut his eyes; he remembered finding his daughter in a pool of blood on the farm. He remembered sewing up her wrists with shaking hands, and hearing Patricia say to him, "it's as if she's lost all hope." He couldn't be the one to take such a precious gift away from her not now, not during these times. Not when there was just so little hope left in this world.

"Beth darling," he said reaching a hand out to cup her cheek, "just promise me…that you'll take your time…think things through."

She didn't understand, what he was saying. "Daddy?" she asked softly.

And as much as it broke his own heart he leaned forward and kissed her forehead, "go on darling," he whispered, "Go to him."


	18. Chapter 18

_ All right all y'all I'm back. First and foremost I have to apologise for my long absence. This is actually the 7th version of this chapter that I have tried to write. I have so many ideas and so many versions and there isn't a single one of them that seems EXACTLY right. This is my final version. It has to go up...or this story will remain dead in its tracks. Also-summer is tough for me, I only work this time of year so I really power in the hours. Anyhow-thanks to anyone who's stuck around. And please please please feel free to dm me to discuss or review or let me know exactly what you think. There may be some errors...I just had to let this one go to press...or we'd be waiting for re-write number 8. As always...be kind...review._

**Chapter 18- Facing your demons**

She was curled up on the floor when he first saw her. Curled up in front of his cell, her knees drawn up, her pretty lil blonde head resting in her arms.

The sight of her there stopped him dead in his tracks. He'd been out walkin. Slow steady walks down endless hallways, to get strong again…inside and out. His body needed healing; he hadn't needed that damn old man to tell him so. The fucking ache in his side, and the never ending throb of his cheek bone reminded him every day that he needed mending.

But his mind, His mind needed mending more than anything else. Ever since he'd gone down, ever since he'd seen Daryl, nuthin more than a boy, and his granddad; ever since he thought he'd gone back, had a whole other chance at livin….a whole other chance at doin things different, his mind….it just hadn't been right.

He'd woken up from that dream or vision or whatever the fuck you wanna call it and found himself back at the end of the world. Damn near fifty, busted up and in a world of pain, flesh eatin monsters on the outside and a group of hostiles on the inside. Aside from a few of them, he'd had no interaction other than bein' stared at, treated like some kind of zoo animal…even worst a freak show.

His brother and his brother's woman, that was a given. Michonne, his Nubian queen….that had been a surprise. And the boy….he didn't know nuthin about that, probably an act of defiance, piss his old man off. The old man, the farmer…he'd turned quiet and cold and then there was Beth…..

He shouldn't give a shit about her. He'd spent the better half of the week convincing himself that she hadn't been more than an eighteen year old piece of tail, one he'd almost tapped, one he could've tapped, but his senses had kicked in.

He didn't wanna think about how he'd thought of her too when he'd been settin' up his ambush. That Michonne had been right, wasn't just Daryl he'd been thinkin of, he'd had his eye on that pretty lil piece too. He fucking knew it, and there was no chance of denyin it, not even to himself.

He'd wanted her, maybe for a fuck….an eighteen year old plaything, maybe somethin else, a bit of fuckin sweetness…lord knows the girl had plenty to spare. It didn't matter what he wanted her for, truth was he did, he wanted her bad enough for him to include her in his thought process, to think about her….to care about her. He'd fucking broken his first cardinal rule of survival…he'd given a shit….and sure enough just like his daddy had taught him….didn't that come back and kick him in the teeth….and just when he was down too, aint that the way it always happened.

But then there was that vision, Daryl's clear blue eyes and his laugh…and the way Daryl sat by him this whole damn week. Boy helped him do everything' from pissin to eatin and every damn thing in between. And he didn't seem to care at all about what a no good shit head brother he'd had growin up. He didn't seem to remember any of the beating's he'd caught by his older brother. All he wanted was for them to be together again.

The fucking vision made him think, that maybe when he kicked the bucket for real, it might be nice to have one moment, one single fucking moment of his life when he hadn't acted like a complete fucking piece of shit.

And now he stood here in the darken hallway lookin at that girl….Beth. Even the name made him feel good just thinkin it. And so much of what he'd spent years years tryin to push back and shut down came creepin back out on him. Never mind that he'd spent a week tryin to pretend she didn't exist, never mind that his chest felt like it had been blown the fuck apart…and he wasn't talkin about a damn bullet wound and a few broken ribs either….the absence of that girl had caused a pain that had gone through and through…

She was beautiful, and sweet and so fucking young. He had a surge of feelin's he didn't know what to do with. He hadn't felt nuthin like this since he'd been a boy….so ….uncertain and confused about a woman… about what she meant.

He leaned his head back and rolled it from side to side, shuttin his eyes and hoping to undo some of the tenseness that had suddenly rolled into his shoulders. He took two steps forward, and let out a short low whistle, "Hey there sugar," he called out softly.

When she looked up, his heart dropped down to his gut. He hadn't set eyes on her since that one short minute in the main block, and she was pale and drawn, her eyes were shut down…they were swollen from crying, and red rimmed, deep dark circles underneath, but the part that got him the most was there wasn't an ounce of life left in them. He hadn't seen eyes like that since his mother, since she'd realized clear as day what her life was gonna be like.

Beth raised her head, she'd headed to his cell as soon as her daddy had given her the go ahead, but he hadn't been there. His cell had been dark and empty. She'd been scared to even step inside, scared to wait for him in there. She didn't know how he felt about her….what this week apart and him almost dying had done to him. Maybe he'd realized that his life was short, too short to spend time with a foolish little girl.

She'd sat outside and waited, legs pulled up, head resting on her arms…and a week of not eating, or sleeping and solid back to back crying had done her in…she didn't even know she was sleeping till that short low whistle, and the deep raspy voice she'd been dreaming off woke her up.

"Hey," she yawned, raising her head and resting her chin on her arms.

"Watcha doin out here?" he asked, nodding in her direction.

She shrugged, and a hint of light hit her pale eyes, "I was waiting for you," she said softly, "wanted to see you."

"That so?" He asked squaring his shoulders, "Ya could've sat inside….laid down on the bed if you was plannin on sleepin."

She shook her head lightly, and started pushing herself up, "I didn't know if it would be ok….if you'd be pissed off."

Merle narrowed his eyes, and folded his arms across his broad chest lightly, "Why would I be pissed sugar? Ya done somethin wrong?"

"I…I should have come to see you when you were hurt." She started, leaning back against the wall, and keeping herself in the shadows. "My daddy was against it…but I should have come anyway….it just…" she mumbled quickly, "It isn't right to turn your back on….family…especially not when they need you the most."

Merle shook his head and laughed out loud. "Is that what the bible taught ya sugar? Well, I got some news for ya…. Daddy's, they don't much care about actin Christian…not when their little girls is at stake." He paused for a minute and narrowed his eyes, all the laughter drained out and they turned hard and cold as steel. "And 'sides I already told ya once, I aint family….and I don't need no one."

Beth swallowed, hard and scrubbed her hand across her eyes….he was pissed, and she'd known he would be. "I'm sorry…" she started, "I didn't mean …"

"Ya meant it." He said matter of factly, "ya meant all of it…. "He paused for a moment, looked her up and down, girl looked like shit, besides her eyes, she looked like she hadn't seen food since the day he'd gone. He took four steps and opened up the door to his cell, "ya gonna stay out there all night?" he called out as he waked through the door.

Beth waited outside for a minute. Letting him walk in ahead of her. Walking in after him would be one of the hardest things she had ever done in this life, but letting him walk away …that would be even harder.

"Hey," she whispered walking in behind him and standing with her back against the door, "I didn't mean to get all Christian on you…. I should have come to see you because I wanted to…" she swallowed hard, "that's what I should have said….."

Merle turned and faced her; he folded his arms carefully across his chest again, being careful to tuck his exposed stump underneath his good arm. "Yeah," he rasped out softly, his eyes still narrow and cold, "maybe you should have."

Beth nodded quietly; she didn't know what to say, or how to treat him. It didn't seem real to her that she should have fallen so hard for such a rough man so quickly. But nothing seemed real anymore, the dead rising, losing her family and friends and this group, this rag tag group becoming as close as anyone she'd ever had. Nothing seemed normal anymore, nothing seemed real.

"When you first left…we all thought that maybe….I don't know, you'd gone back to that place….or…or done something to Michonne….but when Daryl brought you back…." She paused and shook her head; she could just see the image of him in her head, pale and lifeless, leaving a trail of blood, his face unrecognizable, beaten to a pulp. She sniffed loudly, and scrubbed at her eyes again. "I just completely freaked out. It kind of hit me all at once how much I had started….caring…. about you."

Merle leaned his head back and looked up at the ceiling for a minute before shutting his eyes. His jaw clenched and unclenched. Stupid girl, he thought, I aint the type of man you freak out about. I aint the type of man ya suddenly start carin' about neither. He didn't want to admit to himself that something in his chest hitched a little when he heard her say those words.

"I….I know you probably don't wanna hear this…but…I just…" She was starting to shake now, the lack of food and sleep, the emotional turmoil of the past week, all of it, combined with seeing him again…the fear, the uncertainty, it was starting to take its toll. "I was scared… my dad, he just didn't want me being …with you…or even…near you…and I just…." She paused for a moment, and looked up, her pale blue eyes resting on his cold narrowed ones, "I don't know….I just….my dad…he's never had to ask me to do anything….I've never gone against him…never…"

Merle shook his head and laughed softly under his breath, "then why the hell are ya here?" he asked.

Beth swallowed hard and shuffled her feet, "He let me come." She said softly, so softly he could barely hear her.

He looked at her hard, and narrowed his eyes again.

Her heart was pounding; she was sure that any minute it would explode out of her chest and land in a beating pulpy mess on the cell floor directly between them. "He …" her voice cracked, "he saw that I was….uh…falling apart."

"Christ almighty!" he exclaimed turning his back on her and heading to his bed so he could lean his arms up against the top bunk. Falling apart? That weren't no surprise, girl looked like she didn't weigh more than eighty pounds drippin wet, and her eyes, shit…he'd bet his life she hadn't slept more than a handful of minutes since this whole shit had gone down…. But still, Christ almighty, he wasn't worth all this shit.

"I…" she started meekly, "I should just go." She could tell that he was pissed off, and this was just about the last thing he wanted to be hearing.

His whole fuckin insides were in turmoil…he didn't want her there, and he didn't want to hear a stack of damn stupid excuses about nuthin, but he'd be dammed if he let her leave. "Hey !" he called out sharply, "I didn't say nuthin about you goin," He, mumbled under his breath, refusing to turn and face her, knowing he'd be crushed if he didn't see a spark of hope rising in her eyes.

"I just didn't want to piss you off even more than you already are." She whispered.

"Aint much chance of you doin' that." He muttered sarcastically.

Beth lowered her eyes and fixed her gaze onto her worn and beat up sneakers. There wasn't much that she could really say or do to bring things back to where she thought they had been before. There had been so much danger, so much build up, he'd been a novelty, and so had she…and now, now everything had come to a boil, erupted and settled back down to a slow simmer.

"For what it's worth," she said quietly, "I'm sorry…I really am."

He snorted and shook his head, "Everybody in this damn prisons got somethin ta be sorry about." He said without turning around.

Beth fixed her eyes on his back; the broad shoulders were up, his arms resting on the top bunk. She could see, the bulkiness of the bandage on his side, his wife beater was yellowed with sweat, and stained. She took two tentative steps towards him, "I missed you." she said slowly, she paused for a moment, and took the final steps to close the gap between them, "and I care about you so much." Slowly she raised her hand and rested it gently on the center of his back.

Merle shut his eyes and hung his head. He didn't know what the hell he was doin' here with this girl. He knew he wanted her. He wanted her like he hadn't wanted anything in a long time. He exhaled, slowly and lowered his head, before turning to face her. "Ya missed me so much ya damned near starved yerself ." he asked gruffly, before raising his hand to cup her chin, "ya look dead on yer feet sugar."

She raised her eyes and looked at him, the fairest lightest blue he had seen since he'd been outside, it was the same blue he'd seen when he was dreamin' of Daryl and peaches, and summer skies. "I was too scared to eat…or sleep." She said softly, her hand falling to her side.

Merle nodded up at her, "Didn't I tell ya, I'd take care ….didn't I tell ya they was gonna have to get through me to get to ya ?" he paused for a moment and chuckled softly under his breath, "they damned near almost did."

She nodded not trusting herself to speak. Her face was pale and drawn, her eyes swollen and red, the dark circles underneath standing out against her pale skin. "I wasn't scared of those men…." her voice cracked, "was scared of losing you."

The realization that she could have lost him, lost all her hope and love and her happiness, lost it all while she stood outside the cell and watched, too scared to step inside, too scared to go against her father shook her to the core, and she bit down hard on her lip to keep the tears from coming down .

Merle looked at her and shut his eyes for a minute. He knew, that if he had any chance at walkin away, he should just keep his eyes and his insides sealed shut and tell her to go. But when he opened them up again and saw her, so small and frail standing across from him, her pale eyes brimming with tears, her lip pressed tightly between her teeth, He couldn't do nuthin but pull her into his arms, "Christ girl," he muttered as he smothered her against his chest, his body tensing as he pressed her up against his bruised ribs. "I aint worth what you done to yourself." He said as he pressed her face into the nape of his neck, and buried his mouth in her hair. "I aint worth it, sugar," he repeated, as he pressed his lips up against her ear.

Beth let herself go. She let herself be pulled into him and against him, let her face tuck itself up into his neck. She let her emotions go, she'd had one long week of trying to hold everything in check, and she couldn't anymore. She couldn't take it anymore. A long deep sob escaped her throat and muffled into his neck as she wrapped her arms around him.

She loved him. She knew it now, for sure. What she had told her daddy, and what she had thought she felt…it hit her now, all at once, sudden and hard. She loved him; there wasn't a doubt in her mind. And she wanted him, needed him, in a way she had never felt before in her entire life.

She was starving, and exhausted. Her emotions were frayed, tapped out, and falling, into his big strong arms, his wide chest, smelling him, and feeling him, and hearing the deep raspy voice against her ear, made her unravel even faster.

Merle knew he shoulda been pissed. Hell he knew he should be tellin her to piss right on off to her daddy. But fuck all, after havin spent a week without, her body in his arms right now, felt right in a way he'd near felt in his entire miserable life. And there wasn't no way, no goddamn way in hell that he was gonna let her go.

"Hey," he rasped out softly, his lips skimming the shell of her ear, "settle down darlin…."

"I almost lost you." She sobbed into his neck. And she could feel his scratchy skin, up against her lips.

"Ya aint lost nuthin." He said pulling her as close as his bruised up ribs would allow.

"I didn't do….anything…" she cried miserably, "You were so hurt and I didn't do a thing!"

"Hush" he whispered, his damaged hand coming up to cup the back of her head, "There wasn't nuthin you could do anyway. Hush up now."

She shook her head softly, "….I could have….been with you." She paused and rested her face against his shoulder.

He swallowed hard, "Yer here now."

Beth pulled back and fixed her wide pale yes on his. "Let me stay." She asked, her voice coming out as a whisper, the words being so foreign to her , she could barely believe she'd uttered them.

He swallowed hard, thinking about the old man, and his brother, them two love birds, hell, he thought about all of them. There wasn't a one in that group that wouldn't wanna put a bullet in his ass if they saw them two together, but then again, he'd gotten himself shot up already, and didn't none of them even care. He looked down at her blonde hair and ashen face, her eyes so filled with hope, and he wrapped his arms tighter against her. "Ya aint goin nowhere." He whispered, as he leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers.


	19. Chapter 19

_Hey there I'm back-after having lost most of my readers and reviewers due to my long hiatus, I'm making a serious effort to get back on my weekly posting schedule. Y'all let me know what you think. I'm playing these two a little different than they've been in some of the Meth stories...this is my vision...hope you all like it. Please shoot me a review...and I love the long ones. Guest... whoever you were...please review some more...I can handle it all, the good, the bad and the ugly. _

**Chapter 19- ownership**

Beth had settled into his arms in an instant. His lips found hers, and one soft kiss melded into another and then another, until his busted up cheek hurt so badly he had to pull himself away. He didn't want to, but he knew there'd be no stopping if he didn't pull off, girl was nuthin' but honey in his arms right now. He coulda done what he wanted.

"Come on sugar," he said reluctantly as he nodded his head towards the bed, "In ya go."

Beth nodded and swallowed hard, her cheeks turning bright pink as she slid her feet out of her beat up sneakers and climbed into his bed.

She had never been in bed with a man and despite how much she desperately wanted to fold herself into his arms and disappear; she was still rattled with nerves and embarrassment.

"Are you sure we're going to fit together?" she asked, as he sat down besides her, the tiny bunk creaking and groaning from the weight of his bulk.

Merle smiled and pressed his lips up against the side of her head, "we're gonna fit together just fine sugar." He whispered against her hair, as he lay down and settled himself on his back, "Might be a little tight, but as long as ya relax, we gonna be fine."

Beth blushed furiously, despite her joy at having ended up in his arms once again, her face burned in embarrassment, she knew exactly what he was talking about….and though she'd never once thought about the …mechanics …of it before, she found herself mortified by the thought that he had.

He could feel her tense up beside him, so he raised his arm and tucked her up beneath it, pressing her tightly against his chest. "Tonight we just sleepin anyway sugar." He smirked in the dim cell. "Ya aint gotta be worried about none of that now."

Beth pressed her face against his side and softly whispered, "I'm ready when you are."

Merle had to choke back a growl. He pressed himself tight up against her, so she could feel just how ready the lower half of his body was, but unfortunately with two busted ribs and a healing bullet wound, tonight wasn't gonna be the night. "Ya are, are ya?" he asked softly, hiding a grin, this little girl was gonna be the death of him. She already almost had been, and he hadn't known her but a few weeks.

Beth's heart was pounding, she wanted him, all of him, and she wanted to be his. "Please," she whispered, still hiding her face against his chest, "give me a chance."

"Christ almighty angel," he sighed, rubbing his hand over his face. "I aint the type of man ya take yer chances wit, ya know that by now."

Beth inhaled a deep breath and let it out all warm and sugary against his chest, "Is that a no?" she asked, the disappointment heavy in her voice

"You're tired angel," he sighed, "we'll talk in the morning." Christ almighty for real, he thought, what in the hell had gotten into him all of a sudden….got shot in the gut and he sprouted a damn conscience.

"Say yes," she yawned as her arms wrapped themselves around his chest.

"Shhhhh," he answered softly, laying his heavy warm hand over her head. "Just sleep."

Beth settled into lying besides him, her body molded itself into his, and she fell instantly into a deep and heavy slumber.

Merle, on the other hand, lay awake staring into the darkened cell. There was so much goin on his mind right now. This pretty lil thing had come back into his life and unleashed a whole pile of feelins that he'd never had and never wanted to have. She opened more doors faster than he had hands to shut them.

It had been fine before, it had been a bit of a game. A little bit of teasin, a little bit of screwin around…no big thang. He'd been able to fool himself, tell himself it had all been a lil bit of nuthin.

But then he'd gone out and been a hero, Changed the game a little. He wasn't strictly the devil no more. There was little bit of reckoning that went along with him. And that lil piece of sugar had gotten herself all sorts of worked up over him.

And things had changed right quick with this girl. Even though he'd been laid up half dead, she'd, made up her damn mind about him, now she weren't a toy no more. It wasn't a game no more.

This wasn't the first time a woman had fallen for him, sooner or later, if he'd ever unleashed even the tiniest bit of kindness, they'd all ended up fallin for him….one after the other. And they'd all gone by the same way too, he didn't want a woman fussin over him…tryin to make him feel things that just weren't fit for a man to feel. He'd set 'em free, one after the other.

Then there was this one, curled up all warm and sweet up against his side. A fuckin angel, come down to this hell hole just for him. Tellin him she wanted him, wanted to give it a go. Hell, He'd be lyin' if he didn't say he hadn't considered what it would be like to be her first, not just the one to pop her cherry, but the first one to do any damn thing. A chance a startin fresh…likely the last chance he'd ever get.

He didn't know what the fuck to think, But he did know that he felt better than he'd felt in a long ass time. Even layin all squished up in a teeny prison bunk, barely big enough to hold his own bulk on a good day, but now with this young sweet thing pressed up against him. Even though her leg was wrapped up around his and nestled squarely against his throbbing cock, and her body was laying half across his aching ribs, he wouldn't trade where he was for nuthin.

He closed his eyes, and tried to sleep, but it wasn't long till he heard the familiar gate of her father approaching. It was easy to recognize the crutch and the hobbled pace of the one legged man. His arm reached out and pulled her closer tucking her up against his side.

Within moments the old man's face appeared at the door, his eyes went from Merle to Beth, and then settled on Merle again. His face was unreadable, a blank mask. Merle knew what kind of struggle it must've been for him not to grimace.

"I was looking for Bethy," he whispered, standing outside Merle's cell.

Merle fixed his eyes on Herschel, his gaze didn't waver. "She's here." He answered.

Herschel swallowed, his eyes closed and they opened again quickly, Merle saw a flash of pain flit across them before he composed himself. "I can wake her…." He said slowly, "If she's a bother…"

Merle kept his eyes on the old man, and tightened his hold on Beth, "she aint no bother." He said unflinching.

Herschel nodded once, "I know you need your rest…." He started again.

"So does she," Merle cut him off, "girl's sound asleep."

Herschel swallowed, his eyes drifted over to his daughter, he could barely make her out in the darkened cell, just her shape really, pressed up against the man, and he could see a sliver of her pale face tucked into his chest. His eyes scanned the floor quickly, looking for signs of her clothing, and he let out an audible breath, when he saw none. "I'm sure that with your injuries, you'd be more comfortable…."

"I'd be more comfortable if I could get some sleep." Merle said evenly, his eyes never leaving the old man's, never showing a hint of emotion, "and she aint the one keeping me up."

Herschel took a step back and nodded. So this was it, a showdown of sorts for the elder Dixon. He had his daughter, his precious Bethy in his bed, and he wasn't going to let her go. The old man fixed his eyes on his daughter again and nodded slowly, the only man she had ever been in bed with had been him, when she had been tucked in between him and her mother as a small girl. And now to see her like this, he felt his heart was slowly breaking into a million small pieces.

Slowly he turned his back on the darkened cell and made his way down the hallway. His Bethy, his little girl was slipping away.

Merle turned his face towards the girl. He buried his nose into her thick blonde hair and smelled her in. He was worried now, about the old man, about what he'd just done. Laying claim to a sweet young thing like her wasn't the smartest thing. She'd fallen for him, that was clear…but now he had a fuckin liability to deal with. He had just started to gain some footing with this group, just started to gain a lil bit of momentum….that would all be gone in a flash if he fucked this lil girl….Christ almighty, it wouldn't matter who the fuck he shot and killed, if he took this lil girl without the consent of the group….didn't matter how many tears she cried, he'd be out on his ass and fast.

Course there was a part of him was well past givin a shit. Fuckin damned near got himself killed already. Cept for his brother and a couple of others this group was a bunch of ingrates….

He tightened his hold a little on her and burrowed his face in deeper. Hell he wouldn't mind smellin sweetness and havin some sugar in arms now an again. Felt good, so damn good to feel the comfort of a woman's body against his. He breathed in deep again and shut his eyes, and slowly he drifted off to sleep.

"Shit," Daryl muttered under his breath, as he stood in the doorway of his brother's cell. "Goddamn idiot," he shook his head and took two steps inside.

It was early morning still, just past dawn, he was up, as usual, doin' his rounds…ever since Merle'd been back, his brother's cell had been his first stop… at first it had been to check up on him, keep him out of trouble. But recently, hell he'd gone by to help him up, help him get dressed. He hadn't needed the help so much lately, but somethin inside of Daryl had just grown used to stopping by his brother's first thing.

But this morning, hell if he wasn't so shocked he'd been frozen in place. There in the early morning light lay his brother, with the youngest Greene curled up in his arms. Hell he knew the girl had gotten all caught up in his brother, and after he'd been shot damn girl let herself go to the edge.

He'd had words with her himself, hadn't expected her to sound off about Merle the way she had. The things they'd said to one another, made him feel uncomfortable just lookin her in the eye.

But now seein her there all curled up against his brother, he didn't know what to do. First instinct told him to wake the dumb ass up for he found another bullet in him.

"Hey," he whispered reaching out to tap his brother, "Hey Merle,"

His brother's eyes flew open in an instant. Cold as ice and on guard. If his ribs weren't so busted up, and if he hadn't been wrapped up in that girl he woulda been on his feet in an instant. Instead his eyes locked on Daryl's and narrowed.

"Come on," Daryl drawled motioning towards the hall with his head. "Get yer ass up."

Merle turned his head and set his eyes on Beth, she was sound asleep still and burrowed so deep against him, he thought she'd disappear. "Gimmee a minute will ya." He rasped out quietly to his brother.

"Fuck Merle," Daryl mumbled, turning around and scuffling out. He knew what 'gimme a minute' meant to his brother hen there was a piece of ass involved. And he wasn't ready to be dealin with that shit between him and Beth.

Merle stretched a bit, and tried to pull himself out from beneath the girl. Christ almighty she had wound herself around him like a vine while she slept. Girl was tucked just about in and under every damn bit of himself. "Hey sugar," he whispered to her. "Come on," he gave her a shake.

Her eyes opened all wide and dreamy and fixed on his face, a slow lazy smile formed on her lips and he felt his heart damn near stop. He'd never seen a woman look so perfect. Just so dammed happy and content. Lord knows, he'd never had a woman look at him that way. He wondered what it would feel like to wake up to that on a regular basis.

"I gotta go sugar," He whispered to her, pullin his arm out from underneath her, "Daryl's waitin outside."

She yawned sleepily, and her eyes came into focus quickly, "everything all right?" she asked.

"Yeah, yeah…" he hauled himself up, "we set out early's all. You go back ta sleep."

She shook her head and started sitting up, "Judith will be up soon…."

"Ya let my brother's woman worry about the kid today….go back ta sleep," he muttered as he stood up and reached a hand inside his pants, to adjust his colossal morning wood. Wakin up with that girl in his arms hadn't done much to help the situation. Not even seeing his brother had tamed that beast this morning.

Beth saw what he was doing, and blushed quickly lookin away. She'd spent her first night with a man, and now she lay quietly in the bed and watched him slip out the door. He didn't even turn around to nod his head or say goodbye. Quietly she rolled to her side and faced the wall.

Daryl kept his mouth shut till they reached the courtyard. Last thing he wanted to do was give his brother a hassle about who he chose to take to bed. But Beth, hell she was a kid…there was just no way, didn't matter how horny he was, or how damn disillusioned the girl was.

"What the hell's goin' on with you an Beth?" he asked without looking up, "Ya know she's just a kid right?"

"Pfft," Merle shook his head, "I got eyes don't I?" He answered steadying his pace.

"What in the hell's that supposed to mean?" Daryl answered. "You know her Pop'll kill ya right? And he aint the only one…."

"Ya think I'm fuckin scared?" Merle answered, gathering a wad of spit and letting it fly. He never let no one know what he was feelin on the inside, not even his brother, specially not now that he'd gone all pussy with this group. "Weren't for me you'd all be on the other side right now."

"Don't matter," Daryl shook his head, "ya know she's off limits Merle….I mean fuck, she's a kid."

"She looks all grown up ta me." Merle mumbled under his breath, and stopped for a moment, his ribs were starting to ache, and he was getting a hitch in his side, under the bullet wound. The pace this morning was just a little bit faster than he was used to.

"Awww no," Daryl shook his head. "Ya didn't did ya?"

Merle looked up distracted, he'd been thinking about those sleepy eyes, and the way they had settled over him "What?" he asked.

"Did ya fuck her?" Daryl asked, plain and simple. They were brothers weren't they?"

Merle turned to him, his eyes narrow and cold. "Watch yer mouth." He said before pickin up the pace.

He got about ten paces before Daryl realized what had happened, "Hey," he called out breaking out into a jog. "The hell's gotten into you? This aint no game Merle…if yer fuckin' her…"

Merle stopped and turned to look at his younger brother, a dead calm slipped over his face, and his eyes went colder than Daryl had seen in a long while, "Ya watch yer fuckin mouth boy," he spat out, "aint gonna tell ya again."

Daryl stopped short and watched his brother as he walked away. He'd never known his brother to give a shit either way about anyone he was with. Daryl'd spent the better part of his youth listening to Merle rattle off endless details about every damn woman he'd ever fucked and now, now suddenly he was walking away in more than just a huff.

It wasn't just Beth who started acting like a lunatic the minute his brother got brought back, it was Merle too. He wasn't shootin his mouth off half as much no more, and his eyes were always half closed in thought.

"Merle !" Daryl called, watching his brother walk away, "Hey Merle, hold up," he said as he jogged up behind. "What the fuck, hey…." He called out again as Merle kept walkin away. "Merle !"

He watched as his brother walked to the end of the courtyard and rounded the corner. He didn't know what the fuck had gotten into him, but whatever it was, wasn't good. Dixons weren't made for deep thoughts, and heavy feelin's but whatever happened to his brother…he was doin a whole lot of both and that had Daryl worried.

He rounded the corner in a huff, and found Merle leanin up on the side of that dumb old pick-up truck, his hand tracing gently over his side.

"Y'allright?" Daryl asked without meeting his eyes, he knew his brother was pissed, and this was how he let him know he was sorry. Their damn momma had raised em like dogs.

"Fine," Merle answered wincing, "girl was pressed up against my side all night….hurt my dammed ribs."

Daryl nodded, and looked down at his boots, scuffing them over and over in the soft dry dirt. "Ya got somethin' goin with her ?" He asked softly, his eyes locked on his boots, his drawl coming out slow and thick.

Merle shook his head slow, his eyes fixed on the horizon. "Nah," he answered gathering a wad of spit and letting it fly.

Nuthin happened yet, Daryl thought, they might be in the clear, "Ya fixin to get somethin started?" he asked quietly, his head duckin' down.

Merle shut his eyes and hung his head back, what in the hell was he fixin to do…..he couldn't exactly put a finger on it himself. "Don't know brother…." He started, "Don't know what the fuck I'm doin' with that girl."

Daryl pressed his lips together and nodded his head slowly, somethin' was happening between his brother and that girl, and he didn't like it one bit.


	20. Chapter 20

_Okay, another one. Thanks so much for the great reviews...those of you still reading...thank you...thank you. Please drop me a line and let me know what you're thinking._

Chapter 20-sympathy for the devil

That same morning Rick finally okayed an off prison trip for Carl, Glenn and Michonne. The trio had been fixin to go investigate the old silos were the shoot-out had taken place, and he had been dead set against it. After a week with no retaliation, and both Daryl and Michonne's solid assurance of exactly how many men had been killed he had finally absconded to their request, as long as they took Glenn along. The sheriff had begun to grow wary of his son's growing closeness with Michonne. The relationship had made the boy more distant and quiet than ever before, unless he was in her presence.

The car ride had started with a thick silence, Carl was angry with Glenn's intrusive presence, and the thing he wanted to discuss most, Merle Dixon and his growing closeness with Beth, was now off limits. There wasn't a man on earth Glenn hated more than Dixon.

"I hope I find Merle's arm thing." Carl started, from the back seat, hoping to break the silence.

Glenn just shook his head. "Last thing we need to do is arm the bastard, no pun intended."

"Well, I plan on finding it," Carl continued shrugging away his friend's disapproval, "and fixing it up for him….Daryl cleared this workshop down at the end of the block and…"

"Why in the hell would you even want to do something like that for that animal?" Glenn interjected, cutting him off.

Carl smirked and turned his head, facing out the window, "I don't know," he answered sarcastically, "maybe cause he saved all our asses."

"Hey, hey, come on you two," Michonne interjected, "save the fighting for the dead."

"If anyone saved our asses it was Michonne," Glenn spat out angrily.

"Merle Dixon killed most of those men." Michonne said quietly, "Not sure if his motive's reached further than his brother….but we're all reaping the benefits."

"Hardly worth it," Glenn mumbled under his breath, "If we have to include that bastard into our ranks."

"I like Merle." He said under his breath, his eyes fixed on the trees flashing by outside the car window.

"Did you forget what he did to me ?" Glenn asked , turning around to face the boy in the backseat of his car, "what he did to Maggie ?" he continued incredulous.

Carl shook his head slowly, and pressed his head against the cool glass, "I didn't forget anything…" he said softly, "Not even the bullet he just took…and the beating…"

Glenn stared at the boy and narrowed his eyes, "Don't let him get inside your head Carl," he said slowly and with meaning, "men like him…they can turn anything around….make things seem like something different….just ask Daryl…"

"Daryl loves his brother." Carl said softly as he slumped back against the seat.

Glenn shook his head and turned back around towards the front. The boy was confused and misguided he would have to talk to Rick, as soon as they got back to the prison.

Carl, gritted his teeth and narrowed his eyes out the window, the group was getting split right down the middle. He'd have to talk to Michonne about this, as soon as they had some time alone. There wasn't a more unbiased person in the prison, and the more time he spent with her, the less time he wanted to spend with the others.

Michonne looked at the both of them and shook her dreads , this was going to be a long hard day.

Back at the prison, Beth had remained in Merle's bed for an hour or so, hoping that he would return. She wasn't sure what to expect from a man like him, or any man actually, but his hasty departure from the bed had been the last thing she had in mind.

Sleepily she had made it across the block and almost to her cell before her father's voice broke the silence. "Morning Beth," he called out quietly.

She turned to face him, hoping her face wouldn't give away the guilt she felt about having spent the night in a man's bed. "Morning daddy." She said with a week smile.

"You seem rested." He said, his eyes never leaving her face.

"I am," she answered back raising her eyes to meet his, "I had the first solid night's sleep since Merle got hurt."

Herschel looked at her for a moment, and then his eyes drifted to the direction from where she had come, the direction of Dixon's cell. He nodded slowly and fought the urge to reprimand his youngest. His heart held onto the hope that she had respected her years of Christian upbringing, and not allowed the man to violate her so readily.

"Why don't you head on back to your cell Bethy, and get ready for the day….I think Carol could use some help with Jude this morning." He said quietly, his eyes never leaving her face, hoping that this was enough to convey to her the fact that he knew very well where she had spent her night.

Beth nodded, and blushed furiously, as she brushed past her father and headed down the block.

Merle spent most of his morning walking the yard. His body needed to get stronger and his mind needed clearing. He hadn't expected to end up with that girl in his bed last night, hadn't expected the cog to be removed from the gears and the wheels to start spinnin so damn fast all of a sudden.

He'd had half a mind to leave this damn prison group once the governor was dead. Didn't fancy spendin the rest of his days behind bars….livin with a bunch of unappreciative fucks. But that lil piece was a game changer, and so was his little brother, he wasn't so sure that Daryl would wanna leave that mouse of his, even if he hadn't taken the time to dip his wick.

The sun was up in the sky when he finally made it over to his old blue pick-up truck again. He struggled to pull the tail gate open with his beat up hand and climbed on to sit up against the stacked crates. Someone musta taken the time to put the ol' thing back together he thought, remembering the shit fit he'd thrown a couple of weeks back, smashin the thing to bits.

He rested his back up gingerly, and closed his eyes, tilting his face towards the sun. He'd been cooped up inside that damn tomb they called a home too damned long and the warmth felt good on his face.

Wasn't long till he heard footsteps, and he opened up his eyes to see that pretty little Angel commin towards him with a mug and a bowl. "Hey," she called out, smiling shyly, "I brought you some breakfast."

"Ya didn't have to do that Sugar," he called out sliding over to make room for her.

"I know," she said sweetly, "It's just…well Daryl came in and he said you were still out walking, so I figured…you might get hungry."

"Ya figured right." He answered taking the bowl from her and resting it on his lap, so he could spoon up some of that nasty crap into his mouth one handed. "D'you get somethin to eat?" he asked in between bites, turning to face her. "Yer all bones last night layin besides me."

That wasn't exactly true. Merle smiled to himself as he appreciatively remembered her soft curves pressed up against him

"Ahhh…yes." She stammered, turning pink at the cheeks. "I ate."

Merle shook his head and rested his bowl on his lap, reaching out to take the mug from her. Even the dammed coffee sucked here at the prison. He took a long slow sip and rolled it on his tongue, before swallowing. "Ya slept good last night." He said matter of factly, his eyes on the fence line.

"Best night of sleep I've had in a long time." Beth answered softly, a light pink flush spreading on her cheeks.

"That so?" Merle asked, he hadn't slept at all, between bein' all squished up, and his raging hard on, he'd been uncomfortable as all hell, not to mention his mind goin….wondering what in the hell it was that he was doin with this girl in his bed.

Beth looked up at him and smiled, "hope I didn't keep you up ?" she asked.

"Oh I was up allright," Merle answered with a smirk, "Mosta the damn night."

Beth's face burned bright, "Oh….I'm sorry…" she stammered

"Yer all blushed up and we aint even done a thing yet." he said without turning to face her. "Cant even handle a lil bit of messin around. How ya gonna handle the real thing ?" He asked, hoping one last time to give this girl a hard shove in the opposite direction.

Beth swallowed hard, "I'd like to try." She said quietly, picking up the frayed edge of her t shirt and pulling at the threads.

"Ya would huh?" he asked, eyes fixed on the horizon as he took down another gulp. "Ya can't even look at me, but yer telling me ya wanna give it a go?"

Beth took a deep breath and raised her head, setting her eyes on him. "You're not looking at me either." She said.

Merle shook his head and laughed hard. She might be young and innocent and frayed on the edges, but he reckoned she had a little bit of fire cracker in her just like her dammed sister. Yep, he reckoned she probably just needed a spark to get her going.

He turned his eyes and fixed them on hers. Steele blue, dead serious, and unflinching. "This better?" he asked wryly.

Beth smiled and nodded. "Yes…." She answered strongly, taking a deep breath, "Yes is the answer to both your questions."

"That so?" he asked his eyes never leaving hers, "And what's gonna happen when yer daddy pulls the plug again….he aint gonna want his lil girl messin around with an old man."

Beth shrugged her eyes still on his. "My daddy's gonna have to learn to ….accept it" she answered softly.

"Ya gonna be willin to face off against yer sister, against that Chinese kid?" He asked, lifting up his coffee mug and draining the remains in one gulp. "They's yer family."

"I'm willing to try and make things work," she answered quietly.

"Ya got it all figured out do ya?" he answered sarcastically, "Gave this plenty of thought, while I was laid up."

Beth looked out across the yard and into the fence line, the sun was bright in the sky, and it made her squint. She could hear the groans of the walkers against the fence, and see the nasty, dusty yard… but when she was with Merle all of that seemed to disappear, and all she saw was him. He could make this life bearable; he could make it worth living.

"I haven't figured anything out," she said, staring down at her folded hands, "I just….want…a chance."

Merle laughed and shook his head lightly, "A chance at what sugar?" he asked turning to face her, "I aint gonna settle down….be someone ya can count on ….that aint me….it aint who I am."

Beth shrugged, "I know, you think I'm a kid…. and that I'm probably not worth the hassle…."she started, her eyes fixed on the horizon.

"Oh sugar," he smiled wryly turning to face her, "You'd be worth every minute of hassle." He said thinking about her tight young body in his arms, "I just don't think ya know what yer wantin'…."

Beth's eyes floated from the horizon over to his face. A small gentle smile formed on her lips, " I know what I want." She said softly, "I just wish you were wanting the same thing."

Christ she didn't even know just how much he wanted the same thing. He almost got himself killed over wantin her. Merle lowered the mug, and set the half eaten bowl of mush aside. He turned to face her and opened his arms wide, "C'mere baby," he rasped out softly, and he let her come and lose herself inside his hug.

"Now don't ya start getting any ideas he whispered, pressing his mouth against her hair. "This here, don't mean nuthin more than what it is. We gonna take this slow…"

"Merle," she whispered happily, tilting her face up towards his and running her hands over his chest

Christ almighty he thought, if this wasn't just like that dammed vision he'd had, maybe even better. Here he was half layin in that same ol' pick-up truck, and the sky was as blue as could be on any summer day, and he had the finest piece of ass in the state of Georgia wrapped up in his arms.

Beth's mouth came up on his all sure and open, and as he slid his tongue inside all he could taste was sweetness and peaches. He wrapped his one hand up in her hair, and tugged her in as close as he could with his stumped arm. "Ya like this?" he whispered, pulling back for a minute to stare into her hooded eyes.

"Hmmm," Beth moaned lightly, nodding in agreement, her hand slid up his chest, and wrapped itself around his neck where she tugged impatiently at his soft curling hair, "I love this."

"Ya do huh." He whispered, leaning forward and running his tongue across her lower lip, before nipping it softly. He smiled as he watched her eyes almost close in pleasure, "Got so many things yer gonna like little girl," he whispered as his hand slid down her neck so he could run his thumb softly against the outer shell of her ear, "so many things."

He tilted her head back and dipped his tongue in her mouth again, her body pressed up against his, his hand running up and down her side, skimming at her breast, resting on her hip, gripping and squeezing, while his tongue dove into her mouth again and again.

Fuck it all to hell he thought, as he pulled her as tightly to him as he could, there was nuthin sweeter than this angel in his arms right now. And he knew he wasn't gonna be budging from that spot for a long ass time.

_Well hope y'all like it...and the "C'mere baby" that had to go in...that's what Rooker said to me the day after the booze cruise..._


	21. Chapter 21

_Another chapter ! Here we go. For all those interested, yes I met Rooker on the NYC booze cruise and the next morning I was pretty hung over...that's when he came around the table and opened his arms and said "C'mere baby". Got more comments on that then my story ;/ -ok well this chapter is one that I love- Nothing like some brother action...makes me think of my other story, Bunking Down. Anyhow...please if ya like it...send me a review...was so skimpy last time...I almost felt like quittin the whole thing. So please gove me a lil R&R. (and love the longies)_

21-Brothers

That night Merle ventured out into the block during dinner. It was the first time he had done so since Daryl had brought him back that day, and the small group hushed their tones and followed him with their eyes.

He walked over to Carol, who was serving up, some kind of noodle type slop and held his dish towards her, nodding a brief thank you before heading out to the furthest edge of the block and sitting on the steps.

Carefully he set the bowl on his lap and steadied it with his stump before he began scooping some of the overcooked mush into his mouth.

It was his brother's woman Carol, who approached him gingerly, and placed a large cup of water on the step besides him. Gently she laid her hand on his shoulder, and fixed her clear blue eyes on him, before patting her hand up and down a couple of times over his muscles, "I'm glad you finally decided to join us again Merle," she uttered softly, "It was awfully quiet without you and Daryl here at supper."

"I'm sure y'all enjoyed the peace and quiet," he said without looking up.

"Well," she answered, her hand still resting on his arm, "we may have enjoyed the peace…but certainly not the quiet." She smiled down at him softly, before heading to gather her bowl and water and heading over to where Daryl sat.

Merle looked up and watched her cross the small room, he smiled to himself as he watched her bump his brother with her hip and sit down beside him. Wasn't so long ago Daryl wouldn't tolerate a woman sitting so close to him, bumping him and scooting him and acting like she was some type of kin. Now he looked over at his baby brother and he just turned beat read and scowled, his head lowered and his long greasy hair hung over his eyes like a curtain.

He could understand all of a sudden why his brother liked that mouse. Sure she may be older and she may be grey…but she had a kindness, the type of kindness his brother was always lookin for. A calm quiet way, that Daryl wasn't used to getting once their momma had gone.

He doubted his brother even saw it. Hell he doubted his brother saw any damn thing when it came to women. I mean hell, she was old and grey but she was still a woman, and he was sure she wouldn't mind showin Daryl a whole different brand of kindness if he'd let her anywhere near him. Soon as shit settled, he'd have to have a talk with that damn boy again.

He saw his brother's woman smile at Daryl, and bump him with her shoulder.

"What?" he mumbled, looking down into his bowl.

"I missed you." She said simply and bumped him again.

"Stop." He said under his breath, never raising his head, but scootin over slightly on the bench.

"Christ almighty boy," Merle called out across the block, "quit yer damn wigglin and scootin and sit besides yer woman for supper like a grown man…." He could barely stand to watch the way his brother acted with women, brought shame to the Dixon name.

Daryl glared at him from the table, and turned another shade of red, "Shut up Merle," he growled with his mouth full of noodles, "I liked it better when you was in yer cell."

"I bet ya did." Merle laughed softly, pausing with his spoon, "aint no one around to bust yer damned chops about nuthin." Unlike his brother, he liked to wait till he was done talkin till he shoveled his food down. His brother, damn, sometimes Merle thought the boy'd been raised by wolves.

Carol smiled and bumped up against Daryl again, she was happy that he was joking with his brother, happy that Merle had pulled through and was slowly and surely settling himself with the group again. It would have been awful if he hadn't made it. She couldn't even begin to imagine what the loss of Merle would have done to Daryl.

To have finally found his brother again after so many months of thinking he was gone had been a miracle, and those first couple of weeks of trying to reconcile Merle with the rest of the group had been rough, but nothing had been quite as bad as those first couple of days when Merle had come back injured.

She had never seen Daryl so shaken up, and he didn't know how to handle it. He wavered constantly between sadness and anger. He knew that the group didn't care for his brother, and he was torn in so many ways, about their reaction to what he felt had been truly heroic act. She was happy now, Merle was in the block, and slowly but surely he was gaining a steady acceptance form the members of the group.

Carl stared at him as if he was some cool, unknown uncle that had showed up at their door after a long hiatus, Michonne had a quiet look of understanding and respect whenever she looked at the older Dixon, and then there was Beth. The young girl couldn't help but smile and blush whenever she caught his eye; she watched her closely and knew from experience, she had fallen hard. In fact this was the first day since he'd gotten shot that she actually sat with the group and did more than push her noodles around her plate and look forlorn. She had some colore to her cheeks and a glow to her eyes.

After dinner Merle took his first watch since he'd been shot. He headed out with Daryl, taking over for the Chinese kid, and he was elated to finally be out of his cramped cell.

"Sure yer up for this old man." Daryl asked, as he saw his brother slow, before taking the last few steps to the top of the tower.

"Pfft, old man my ass," Merle answered, "I'd like to see you takin these stairs two by two after takin a bullet to yer side."

"Aint nobody asked you to come up." Daryl muttered, biting at his nail.

"Oh come on Darylina," Merle laughed, "stop being such a damned pussy, so I poked a little fun at you and yer woman…ya aint gotta take it so hard…."

"I aint a pussy and she aint my woman." He answered, taking his first steps out onto the tower's deck.

Merle rolled his eyes. "What the fuck's the matter with you?" he asked, "Aint hard to see the mouse wants in yer pants."

"Shut up" Daryl snapped, turning to face his brother, "aint like that."

"Ohhh," Merle taunted his voice going long and soft, "aint like that….how is it then?"

"Aint none of yer business," Daryl snapped again, "that's how it is."

"Hells bells," Merle muttered under his breath, as he walked over to the edge of the tower and leaned his forearms against it, looking out across the yard, and passed the fence line. "Some things don't ever change huh Darylina….ya always got yerself all up in a huff whenever we started talkin women…."

"Fuck Merle," Daryl did a slow round of the tower and came back around to where his brother was, and stopped besides him for a minute, "yer tellin me…it's the end of the dammed world and ya still aint done bustin my ass…"

Merle laughed for a moment, then looked down at the ground below them. Fuck, so much shit had gone down between them….to be up here, keepin watch besides his brother at the end of the dammed world…hell it was a miracle. "Yeah," he started slowly, without raising his head, "maybe it's about time I laid off then."

"What?" Daryl stopped in his tracks and ran his fingers through his long dirty hair, "ya feelin allright?" he asked with a smirk, "ya aint ever offered to lay offa nuthin."

Merle shook his head and laughed, picking up his rifle and heading to the other end of the tower. "Gonna be a bitch to shoot this one handed…" he mumbled, raising it, and trying to prop it on his stumped arm so he could take a look out the scope. "Guess I bumped my head a bit harder than I thought when I went down…" he said, one eye shut, his focus still on the scope. "Stirred up a whole lot a thinkin'…."

"Yeah," Daryl smirked, "did it make ya think ya were a son of a bitch, an ya might wanna cool it down?" he asked with a laugh.

Merle chuckled softly before lowering the rifle and settin it across the rail, "yeah," he said sarcastically, "maybe it did."

Daryl stopped in his tracks, he dug a hand into his pocket and pulled up a half crumpled pack of butts, pullin one out and lighting it, he took a long slow drag, before holdin it out to his brother. "Well shit," he mumbeled, "I was just jokin…"

"No ya weren't," Merle laughed, taking the butt and resting it on his lips for a moment so he could reach out and cuff Daryl upside the head, "nut up brother….ya always said I was a son of a bitch…" he laughed and took a long drag before passing it back.

"Well ya aint gotta hit me," Daryl smiled, as he did another round…. "I mean, if yer planning on bein nice yer getting off to a piss poor start…"

Merle laughed and took another long hard drag, "I said _maybe_," he grumbled, "but that don't mean I gotta sit back an watch ya pussy out of everythin….cryin out loud."

Daryl laughed and reached for his cigarette, it was all burnin ember and burnin hot. "ya steamed it again," he muttered, "aint that never gonna change."

"Fuck sake," Merle laughed, "man up."

Both brothers were quiet for a few minutes. It had been so long since they'd talked like that. Had a real round of soft easy banter, neither goin for the jugular, goin for blood. Daryl'd missed his brother, missed this easy funny way of being he'd always had. There wasn't anyone got to see this side of him…all they saw was the son of a bitch…but Merle…hell Merle was complicated…his brother had more layers than a dammed onion.

"So," he started, from the other side of the tower, "ya have a nice day today then?"

"Huh?" Merle'd been distracted, his focus out on the tree line where it ought to be.

"Passed by," Daryl started, thinkin this might be the best time to broach this topic, now, while they was all brother to brother again. "Passed by that ol' truck and saw you and Beth layin out suckin face like it was nobody's business…."

"Hahaha," Merle laughed out loud and scrubbed a hand down over his face, "suckin face huh?" he asked, "yeah…I suppose that's what we was doin allright…and yep I'd say it was a fine day."

Daryl shook his head, "so ya gonna go fer it then?" he asked quietly.

Merle took a deep breath and leaned forward, his eye goin for the scope again. "Wish we had us some night vision goggles," he said quietly, before raising his head, "since when did you start givin a shit on who I planned to tap."

Daryl shrugged, "I don't know….shit Merle…I mean… if yer just thinkin with yer dick then…"

"I aint." Merle cut him off, cold and hard. "If I was thinkin with my dick, I woulda popped that cherry fore I went out and got my ass shot…don't be thinkin I didn't have the chance, Cause I did…" he paused for a moment to lean forward, layin out some spit, and watching as it dropped, "girl's been layin it on thick an heavy since before I left."

"Christ," Daryl muttered, " Beth ?" he never thought that girl had enough gumption to say more than then two words flat to his brother…hell he thought all those feelings had been some built up teenager crush…not somethin she'd actually tried out.

"Yep," Merle muttered, with a small laugh, "Little Bethy's managed to give me the finest set of blue balls in the state of Georgia."

Daryl shook his head and laughed out loud.

"I'm surprised I can still walk." Merle continued with a low grumble.

"Then she aint all pure an innocent huh?" Daryl asked walking to lean up against the rail besides his brother. "She sure fooled us plenty."

"Nahhh," Merle shook his head and stood up straight, running his hand gingerly over his bruised ribs. "That aint no act….girl's plenty innocent…and I'd say she's nuthin but pure…that's what makes it so damned…tricky." Christ, he couldn't remember the last time he'd had this type of talk with his brother…in fact, he didn't think he ever had.

"What?" Daryl asked lookin up, "ya don't like em like that?" Well hell, Merle had always gone for the slutty ones, but damn, who woulda thought him to be so picky.

"Aint that I don't like it…shit, that pure little innocent thing with a body like hers….you'd have to be crazy not to wanna tap that…." He paused for a moment, and looked out into the tree line… "Ya got any idea what's gonna happen if I take that girl?"

Daryl shook his head, and scrubbed his feet on the ground. "what ?"

Christ, thought Merle, there wasn't anyone about as dense as his baby brother when it came to women. "If, I take that girl's cherry," he paused for a minute to raise the rifle, prop it on his stumped arm, and look through the scope, "she's gonna go all soft on me…be expectin some sort of somethin….you know how it is bro…"

Daryl looked at his brother for a minute and narrowed his eyes; maybe they weren't as different when it came to woman as he had always thought. There was no doubtin that Merle'd gotten more ass. Hell he got more ass than a damned toilet seat…but when it came down to somethin real…somethin like this here… well shit, there wasn't much difference between them at all. They were both treadin water.

"Aint like she's not all soft already," Daryl muttered under his breath. Was his brother crazy, he thought, damned girl cried for about a week straight after he'd been shot.

"Pfft," Merle shook his head and lowered the scope, "I reckon I can still get out."

Daryl shrugged, and leaned up against the wall, maybe it wasn't so bad havin someone fall fer ya. The world was different now…all those regular expectations were long gone. The Dixons were prime material in this day and age. Hell they'd keep their woman alive, fed and sheltered…that was a hell of a lot more than most men could say.

"Who you kiddin," Daryl said, with a shrug, "girl was no better than one of them walkers when you was hurt…couldn't nobody get through to her…" He leaned his shoulders up against the wall, and reached in his pocket for another cigarette, tonight was a special occasion…he was smoking a double. "I'd say yer gonna break her no matter how ya go."

Merle shook his head and let out a long soundless whistle, "Don't even know what I got myself into brother." He said, and for the first time in a long, long while, he set his eyes on Daryl, and just looked at him, just took him in, no sarcasm, or snapping, no plans, or directions, or orders…just plain talking.

Daryl took a deep drag and nodded, handin the cigarette out towards his brother. It felt so good to be together again, Lord knows he'd missed his brother more than he'd ever missed a living being in his entire life.

"Last time I had somethin made me feel so dammed good it was ice," Merle muttered, holdin the cigarette to his lips, and pullin off it slow. "Felt like I was flyin half the time then landed on my ass… one handed, in the middle of a goddamn apocalypse," He paused for a moment to look at Daryl, then shook his head, and laughed softly, "that didn't turn out so well for me brother."

"Well shit Merle," Daryl scoffed. "Beth aint no drug."

"No, she aint," Merle answered turning again to face the darkness and leaning himself up over the rail. "But I'd be lyin if I said she didn't make me feel just as good….better even." He took a deep breath and scrubbed his stump up over his side again. "I'm an old man brother, and I been through hell and back…shit, yer damned _group_ here they's pretty convinced I'm the devil himself, aint so often a man like me gets handed down an angel like that one. Aint often at all."

"Yeah," Daryl muttered, sidling up next to his brother, and hangin his arms off the rail besides him. "Guess that pretty much don't ever happen."

"Christ," Merle said, exhaling a lung full of smoke, "and with the body on her…." He whistled again and shook his head.

Daryl shook his head, "I guess I aint ever thought of her that way." He mumbled under his breath, I mean shit; he didn't think he'd had more than the one conversation with her during the course of the past year.

"And ya better not start neither," Merle growled, reachin across to give Daryl a solid shove before handin him back his smoke. "Ya keep yer eyes to yerself, and yer dick in yer pants." He said gruffly.

"Well shit," Daryl started, before pausing briefly to take a drag off his cigarette. He didn't know what to say, hell he'd spent half his life tryin to understand his brother, and it certainly wasn't getting any easier now.

"Well shit," he started again, "if I didn't know any better I'd be thinkin you got some sorta soft spot fer her yerself." He said quietly without looking up.

Merle narrowed his eyes and set them on the horizon. "Good thing ya know better then." He said quietly, "else I'd be kickin ya right in yer ass."

"Yeah, good thing then," Daryl mumbled softly, "cause you'd be liable to throw yer dammed busted ribs out just tryin…." He laughed softly.

"Ooooh, lil brother got himself a fine set of balls," Merle laughed back, "took the fuckin Dead risin an all, but still….glad ya finally grew a set."

"Least they aint blue." Daryl laughed, ducking his head out of the way, as Merle's hand shot around to cuff him.

Was later that night they walked into the cell block side by side. Neither of them had said much to another since they'd finished their talk up on the tower. That had been the longest talk they'd had in a about a year. Those brothers had been raised silent….they'd spent whole long days side by side in the woods without ever sayin a word. Merle had the biggest mouth of any Dixon out there, but when they were together, if they weren't fighting, they could go hours without sayin a word.

Merle gave his brother a quick silent nod, and padded quietly to the far end of the block, where his cell was housed, set far apart from the rest of the group.

He pushed the barred door opened without looking and stepped inside before he even noticed her. She was curled up, sound asleep on the bottom bunk, and he stopped short. He felt somethin inside his chest give, and he stood there for a minute and just took her in. She was an angel.

_-Read and review folks -oh and BTW next week we may have to move to M ratings-_


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